


We Built This Town On Friendships & Vows

by autumnfiresnovemberembers



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety, Attempt at Humor, Audra Is A Family Friend, Ben Hanscom Loves Beverly Marsh, Blood and Injury, Canon? Canon Means Nothing To Me, Eddie Has James Ransone’s Tattoos, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Established Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Established Mike Hanlon/Bill Denbrough, Fix-It, Hanbrough, Homophobia, Horror, Humor, I Hate That Stupid Clown, I Love the Losers Club (IT), I apologise for this, Injury, Internalized Homophobia, Mentioned Suicide Attempt, Mike Hanlon Loves Bill Denbrough, Multi, Pennywise (IT) is His Own Warning, Reddie, Richie Has Bill Hader’s Career, Stanley Uris Lives, Tattooed Eddie Kaspbrak, The Author Regrets Everything, The Hatred I Have For That Damn Clown & Bowers, The Losers Club (IT) Love Each Other, The Losers Have Kids Of Their Own, There Is PAIN & Bad Humor, This Is An Abomination Of The Great Work Stephen King Created, This Is B A D, This Is BAD & I’m So So Sorry, benverly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-02-24 19:15:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 107,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22343035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumnfiresnovemberembers/pseuds/autumnfiresnovemberembers
Summary: AU: They made an oath. If IT came back, so do they. The Losers just didn’t expect that they’d have kids before that happened.
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Bill Denbrough/Mike Hanlon, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Patricia Blum Uris/Stanley Uris
Comments: 71
Kudos: 137





	1. The Denbrough-Hanlon’s

I don’t own anything. This is an abomination & I should be personally murdered by The Losers & Pennywise for writing this crap.

Bill Denbrough never pictured himself as a parent.

After loosing his brother, Georgie, he never expected that he’d ever want to have kids of his own.

In fear of failing them in the same way he had Georgie.

He’s not even sure how the subject came up with his husband, Mike Hanlon. 

When Bill was leaving for college, Mike was still hell bent on staying in their home town, for a reason Bill just can’t remember exactly.

What he does remember, however, was dragging Mike against his will to his car on the day he moved to college and telling him that he was coming too or Bill would stay. 

Knowing that he’d been serious and not wanting Bill to give up on his college dreams for him, Mike had decided to go with him.

They were both nearing twenty five when they had realised that they were more than just friends.

That the lingering stares, the gentle midnight conversations and the ever so moving way that they would hold on to each other every time they embraced was not exactly platonic.

They shared their first kiss when they were sitting on the floor, proof reading one of Bill’s books.

Mike told Bill that he’d always loved him and Bill had just smiled.

They’ve been together ever since.

Despite being the less affectionate of the pair due to his nervousness, which sometimes even made holding Mike’s hand a challenge, despite how much he loves it. Bill was the one to propose.

They were celebrating the publishing of Bill’s second book.

Bill had put the ring inside the copy of the book he was going to give to Mike.

Mike had been overjoyed and had immediately said yes.

They got married just under a year later.

It was a quiet, private ceremony, just the way Bill and Mike had wanted it to be.

They were happily married for several years before the question of children came up.

Bill didn’t think that Mike would’ve been interested in having children either.

However, Bill had decided to write one children’s book during his writing career.

Just to get his fans off his back for writing books with incredibly depressing endings really, one of which Mike physically threw a copy of through a window in horror at how Bill had chosen to end that book.

Bill had kept the ending regardless and had somewhere secured a film deal for it, despite everyone hating the ending. 

It was Bill’s track record with depressing endings, however, that Mike had decided to proof read Bill’s children’s book with him and they’d both come to the realisation, that despite being nervous to admit that they’d want kids, that it would just be so lovely if the child that got to read Bill’s book with them one day was their child.

Which is when they both decided that they did want kids.

It had been a long process.

A process which was made easier when one of their closest friends had kindly offered to be their surrogate.

Whilst both being a little nervous, Bill and Mike were incredibly happy when they learnt that they were having not one, but two children.

Mike spent the months baby-proofing his and Bill’s mansion, whilst Bill had spent his time writing an entire set of children’s books.

One for each month that they waited patiently for their children to enter the world.

They had a boy and a girl.

Their son, Georgie Denbrough-Hanlon was born first.

Mike and Bill having decided to remember Bill’s late brother by giving their son his name.

Their daughter, Mia Denbrough-Hanlon arrived just over nine minutes later.

To their amazement, Bill & Mike settled into the roles of being parents quite quickly.

Mike being their ‘papa’ and Bill being their ‘dad’

Sure, they had their ups and their downs, but they really took to it and Georgie and Mia were inseparable from their fathers.

Bill pretty much spent most of his wealth on his children.

Making sure that they wanted for nothing and had the best education growing up.

Just ensuring that they were loved, protected and had the happiest of childhoods.

Neither Mike or Bill’s parenting differs that much and neither fall into either the strict or fun parent category.

Bill can be a little bit stricter than Mike, but they almost always agree on the ways in which their choose to parent Georgie and Mia.

In fact, the only time they ever argued about a choice concerning their children was when Mike wanted them to go to public school and Bill wanted them to go to an insanely expensive private one.

Bill having argued that they have the money to pay for both Georgie and Mia to go to the private school and that they should both receive the best education.

Mike had argued that his was concerned that going to a private school would make Georgie and Mia afraid of what would happen if they weren’t always straight A students.

Bill didn’t want them to go to a public school, because he knew what had happened to him when he went, the bullying he had faced and he knew that home schooling wasn’t an option because of their jobs and because of Mike’s experience with home schooling.

They’d gone with a school that their friends kids went to in the end, it wasn’t exactly top of the range, but it definitely wasn’t a public school and was decided an acceptable place for the children of world famous author, Bill Denbrough-Hanlon and Mike Hanlon-Denbrough. 

Despite that disagreement however, all in all, Bill and Mike just raised their kids in a calm, caring way and made sure to do everything possible to keep them safe and to make sure that they grow up to make the most out of their lives.

To Bill’s relief, Mia and Georgie had formed a similar bond he can faintly remember having with his brother Georgie before his untimely death.

Mia grew up to be a quiet girl, who got anxious very easily, whilst Georgie always had lot of confidence.

Georgie however, took being eight minutes older than his sister very seriously and always looked out for her.

Helping her through her anxieties whenever they got too much for her and just protected her.

The way in which Bill has always been aware that he didn’t protect his brother, Georgie.

However, Bill had vowed to protect his children and he prayed every day to a god he wasn’t even sure he believed in that he would always be able to protect them, no matter what.

Georgie Denbrough-Hanlon has always reminded Bill of Mike when his was younger.

He’s practically the spitting image of Mike, but has fluffier hair and Bill’s eyes.

He grew up to be quite the adventurer, which nearly drove Bill around the bend with worry, but Mike handled everything and has always been gently encouraging of his son, whilst also being scared out of his mind at the very thought of something happening to his boy.

Georgie loves both his father’s equally, but will always go to Mike first if anything’s really wrong.

Sure, he’s gone to Bill a few times if it’s about school work, but if it’s a really pressing matter, he’ll go to Mike.

Mike always spends hours upon hours playing video games with him as well, the two of them normally found camped out on the couch in Georgie’s room surrounded by piles junk food, which Bill has always disapproved of and they’re always either giving each other high-fives or hugs between games.

If Mike’s home that’s if.

Mike travels around for his work.

He is predominantly a librarian, however, due to books being in downloadable form now, libraries across the world are starting to die out and Mike goes out there into the world to keep them going.

The library that he’s a librarian at is also quite far a way, which is why it’s not unusual for him not to be at home.

Thankfully, due to being a writer, Bill has pretty much always been a stay at home dad.

However, when he’s had to go to work on a film that his book is being made into, Bill has defied several people’s wishes and taken his kids to work.

Mia’s always hated it, due to how busy the sets are and how loud they can be.

Especially seeing as Bill was mostly be quite busy and unavailable for Mia to just go to when she’s nervous.

Her big brother Georgie, however is always there to comfort her when she’s anxious and always has a hand free for her to grab on it.

Georgie has always been such a kind soul and is wise beyond his years.

Reminding both Bill and Mike of someone they used to know in a way.

Bill just can’t quite put his finger on that one.

Maybe it was someone he knew once at school? 

He’s just not sure.

At the age of fifteen, Georgie is same as he always has been, kind, caring and the type who works incredibly hard at school, especially at art.

Bill and Mike were relieved when they realised that Georgie was well liked at school, being one of the most popular kids there, the type that everyone wants to either be friends with or date, yet Georgie has never found someone he’d like to go out with and his personality has never changed.

People just like him because he’s kind.

Georgie spends most of his free time volunteering or painting, or visiting his dad’s set due to his never ending fascination in his dad’s books.

He even likes the endings.

Mia Denbrough-Hanlon, has always reminded Mike of Bill when he was younger and it’s not even just her looks that Mike him think this.

It’s how nervous and anxious she gets.

Bill has always been terrified that it was his fault that Mia has always been so anxious.

She doesn’t like to socialise much and is uncomfortable in loud, crowded places.

However, she has still always gone with her family to different events that Bill has been invited to.

She’s never wanted to let her anxiety rule her life and even when she has got anxious, she’s worked a way around it.

When she was really young, she’d always grab hold of Bill’s hand if she were either anxious or afraid of something.

It would be Mike’s hand if Bill was out of reach, but it would normally always be Bill.

However, as she got older, she was scared what people might think and say about her if she got caught latching on to either her dad or her papa’s hands.

Georgie noticed this, noticing how Mia would panic and force herself not to take their parents hands even if she wasn’t in a great place, which is why he started taking her hand, or linking his arm through hers.

They have always been inseparable siblings so it didn’t look odd to anyone at all. 

Mia doesn’t know what she’d do without her brother or her father’s.

Especially her dad.

Whilst having always held on tightly to her parents, Mia is definitely closer to Bill.

She loves her papa with all her heart, but it is Bill who she runs to when she needs one of her parents.

It’s her dad who she runs to when everything feels too much for her and Bill will always wrap his daughter up in his arms and hugs her tightly until she’s calmed down. 

When she was young, Mia wouldn’t go to sleep until Bill had read to her, Georgie was the same, but Georgie thought Mike was more of a fun reader.

Mia just wanted her dad though and would only go to sleep when he had read to her with her curled up next to him and had given her a hug.

Bill never used to leave her until he was certain that she’d fallen asleep.

However, she’s always suffered from nightmares that she’s never been able to explain properly to Bill and Mike, yet she comes to running to them when she’s had one and they’ve let her stay with them until she’s calmed down again.

Even at fifteen, Mia still goes to her father’s if she’s had a nightmare.

Unlike her brother, Mia isn’t popular at school and doesn’t do any extra curricular activities.

She just gets through the day, tries to avoid talking to anyone in the process.

People at school are never openly horrible to her, what with her being Georgie’s sister, but Mia hears the comments they make about her in the corridors and every so often someone will play a horrible prank on her.

Which is why, there’s nothing she loves more than being at home, either in her room or being wherever her dad is.

Her home is her sanctuary.

Well, it would be if it wasn’t for the attic.

Mia went up into the attic once when she was five years old.

She heard whispers, hushed voices and when she’d gone up there, expecting to see her papa, she saw horrible things in the shadows.

She told her dad a few weeks later, but he’d reassured her that it was nothing but her imagination making her think that there was something hidden in the dark.

That he used to do that all the time when he was a kid and understands how she felt.

She’s never gone in there since and has vowed to never return.

Sitting in the trailer, Bill eyes his notes on his book.

The Attic Room. His copy sat right next his laptop. 

He can almost feel the book itself glaring at him.

This a nightmare.

Why has he got to change the ending?

There’s nothing wrong with it.

“Mr. Denbrough-Hanlon? They need you on set.” An assistant calls to him from the door he hadn’t even realised had been opened.

Crap. They want the notes.

Bill grabs his laptop and heads out of the trailer.

Approaching the studio, Bill allows himself a moment to think of what his evening could look like.

He’s either gonna have to stay here all night and be grilled about the ending to his book which the filmmaker and the directors do not like one bit and want Bill to change. 

Or, he’ll be able to escape and go home to his kids and his husband, if Mike is home that’s if.

He had an emergency at work and hasn’t been home since the early hours of yesterday evening.

Bill didn’t really understand what Mike was saying and is a little confused as to how he could’ve had an incident at work. 

He didn’t think there could be that many things that could go wrong for a librarian.

Maybe it’s about the funding for one of the many libraries he’s saved, Bill had mused to himself.

He’s sure Mike will explain it to him at some point anyway.

Bill is checking his phone when he ducks underneath the closing door of the studio.

Immediately getting yelled at by people for doing that.

Bill doesn’t really hear them though, as he’s too focused on checking his phone.

Georgie and Mia are walking here.

They’re together and it’s broad daylight so he doesn’t have any problem with them walking to the studio, but he just wants to make sure he hasn’t missed a message from them just in case somethings gone wrong.

“I’m the writer.” He calls haphazardly to someone, when he thinks he’s asked if he’s a crew member or not.

He must have heard that wrong, surely people must recognise that he’s the Bill Denbrough-Hanlon.

Today’s just going to be one of them days.

Audra Phillips, one of the lead actors, Georgie and Mia’s godmother and a close family friend of his and Mike’s is practicing her expressions in a mirror, only pausing when she sees Bill in the mirror behind her.

“Hey, you got the pages?” She turns to him.

Audra is an incredibly kind and reasonable woman. Bill convinces himself that he might be able to get her to agree to his original ending.

“Hey dad!” Bill’s mouth is barely even forming words when he’s interrupted by the arrival of Georgie and Mia

Turning around, Bill watches as Georgie jogs towards him, pulling Mia along with him by the hand.

“Hey guys! Did you have a good day at school?” Audra beams at them both.

“It was school, auntie.” Mia speaks softly.

“Yeah, bit boring, but you know there for a purpose!” Georgie shrugs as Mia lets go of his hand to go and give her dad a hug.

“I’d hug you both right now, but they’re just done my make up.” Audra sighs.

“You look really awesome.” Georgie gives her a supportive thumbs up.

“That means a lot kids, it really does. Are you guys staying with us or is your papa coming to get you?” Audra queries.

“I think papa’s at work?” Georgie glances to his father, whom nods.

“Will he be back later?” Mia asks quietly.

“Yeah, yeah, I think he will be. I hope he is anyway.” 

“If he’s not, can we please have a takeout.” Georgie requests 

“We have food at home.” Bill retorts.

“Papa’s the cook, dad.” Georgie rests a hand on his dad’s arm.

“He’s not wrong.” Audra whispers in a small voice, which makes Mia and Georgie laugh and Bill glares at her.

“Not helping.” He mouths.

“Just looking out for the kids. Some of your cooking could be weaponised.” Audra points out.

Bill is about to argue back, when the filmmaker practically drops out of mid air seemingly from out of nowhere.

Mia jumps and takes cover behind Bill.

“That cannot be health and safety approved.” Georgie whispers to Audra.

“A film needs an ending.” The filmmaker addresses Bill. 

“You do know that right?”

“Oh yeah.” Bill nods.

“I thought you said that you needed another day to finish the pages and we’re shooting this thing tonight!” Audra points out, before turning to Mia and Georgie.

“Has he done any of it?” She mouths to them.

“He looked at it for twelve hours straight.” Mia remarks.

“I think it’s just a bit weird, you know. I mean there is an ending there.” Georgie points out.

“I mean, we got like seventeen hours.” Bill guesses, realising with a sigh that this means that he’s probably going to be stuck in here for the rest of the night.

“Look, I want you to be happy with the movie, you understand? I’m on your side.” The filmmaker continues.

“Well that’s great, because in my book, the ending...” Bill finds himself being interrupted again.

“Is terrible.” The man puts bluntly.

“With all due respect, people loved your book. They loved it, but they hated the ending.”

“Here we go again.” Georgie sighs, having taken it upon himself to read all the comments reviewers have made about the ending of his dad’s book.

Georgie can’t understand they’re problems with it either.

The ending was great, sure it was a bit dark, but it’s realistic.

“I thought you said you liked the ending.” 

“I lied. You gotta do better okay?” Bill is stunned.

The one person who he thought actually appreciated his approach to ending a piece of literature didn’t like it after all.

It doesn’t put Bill down though too much, Georgie loves the ending. Mike hasn’t commented much and Mia has told him why she didn’t like it.

“Now, Audra you have my notes, could you.” The Filmmaker gestures between Audra and Bill before disappearing up into the air again.

“He gave you notes?” Bill glances towards Audra.

“He’s not wrong.” She admits and Bill sighs.

He really should’ve seen this coming.

“Dad, it’s not badly written or anything. We love your book, everyone loves your book, it’s just that the ending is so depressing.” Mia voices her opinion.

“It’s realistic.” Bill says in defence of his writing.

“I got that, I know where your coming from, but people read books to escape from the real world and in fiction, people tend to prefer it if the book ends on a high.” Mia shrugs.

“I know, I know, but my book, it’s not written to end happily ever after. I can’t please everyone.”

“You’re not really pleasing anyone.” Audra admits.

Bill groans.

“Do you guys really not like my endings?”

“I like them.” Georgie shrugs.

“Some of them are really great, brilliant even.” Audra continues.

“I get it, I do. I even get what you’re telling me.” Bill glances down at Mia.

“Everyone wants a happy ending, everyone wants closure, but that’s not the way that life works out and my aim was to create a realistic ending.” Bill argues his point.

“You got it.” Georgie nods supportively.

“Mia’s right. People like reading to escape the real world. It’s literature, Bill. It doesn’t have to be realistic.” Audra folds her arms.

“Why can’t it be? What’s wrong with the way I ended it. I just don’t get why it’s so hard just to do it the way I wrote it.” Bill shakes his head.

“It just. It doesn’t work, Bill.” Audra gives him a sad smile.

“But...”

“I gotta get back, just try something different, okay? As you said. We got seventeen hours. You can get it done, hell, get Mia to look over it. She gets what we want.” Audra nods towards the fifteen year old, before jogging off to see what the studio needs her to do.

Bill groans again.

“I’m sorry, dad.” Mia bites her lip nervously, afraid that she’s pissed him off.

“It’s not your fault, Mia.” Bill assures her.

“How was school today guys? Did your counselling session go alright?” Bill eyes Mia with slight concern in his eyes.

“Yeah, it was good.” 

“That’s great, I’m really proud of you for going.” Bill wraps an arm around her.

“How was your day, Georgie?” He puts his other arm around his son.

“Oh, great. I had such a good day. I painted this really awesome painting that they’re gonna showcase at the end of month. I can’t wait for you, papa, Mia and aunt Audra to see it.” Georgie beams happily.

“That’s fantastic. Wow, that’s wonderful. Have you called your papa?”

“Yeah. I told him. He’s really happy too.”

“Good, we’re really proud.” Bill smiles back at his son.

“I love your paintings, I can’t wait to see it.” Mia agrees.

“Are we going home, dad?”

“You guys can If your papa can come and pick you up. Don’t think I’m gonna be leaving here anytime soon.” Bill looks down at his feet.

“You’ll work it out.” Mia encourages him.

“I don’t even hate your endings.” Georgie promises him.

“Thank you for that.” Bill cracks a smile for his son, before reaching for his suddenly ringing phone.

Bill smiles when he sees Mike’s name appear.

“It’s your papa, come on.” Bill answers the call as he walks out of the studio with Georgie and Mia at his side. 

“Hey...”

“Bill, you gotta come home. Are the kids with you?” Mike cute him off immediately before Bill even has a chance to use any terms of endearment.

“Yes. Why? What’s wrong?” Bill frowns but quickly smiles at Mia and Georgie when they appear worried to.

“You just...” Mike trails off.

“You need to come home.”

Bill is traditionally the calmest driver of the family, but even he thinks that he breaks a few speed limits to get home to Mike.

His mind racing a mile a minute as he tries to think of what could possibly have gone wrong.

Mike’s tone of voice.

Bill has never heard him sound so solemn, not since they left home and even then he’s not sure what was wrong.

It was almost as if Bill could sense the dread in his voice.

Mike never speaks with dread in his voice.

Bill can’t understand what could possibly be wrong with his husband.

He’s going to find out soon enough though, he thinks as he brings the car to a definite stop and practically leaps out.

Georgie and Mia following him at a similar pace.

Bill pretty much throws himself through the door as he begins to call out for Mike.

“In here!” Mike calls from the living room.

“Papa are you okay? What’s wrong?” Georgie bounds into the living room, running straight into Mike’s arms.

“I’m okay, son. I’m okay. I’ve just gotta talk to your dad, alright? Please don’t worry.” Mike holds his son close, exchanging a look with the near frantic Bill.

“How about you and Mia set a movie up for us. We’re gonna have take out and spend the evening together, alright?” Mike looks between Georgie and Mia.

“Everything’s okay?” Mia whispers.

“Yeah, it’s okay, please don’t worry.” Mike repeats himself as he turns Georgie in the direction of their insanely large tv and heads to embrace Mia.

“Go on, pick whatever it is you guys want to watch and we’ll be right back.” Mike turns Mia towards Georgie, before holding his hand out to Bill.

“What’s going on?” Bill mouths, taking his husbands hand.

Mike doesn’t say anything.

“Mikey.” Bill whispers.

“Come on.” Mike leads him out of the living room, closing the door behind Georgie and Mia who are suggesting film titles to each other.

“Okay, Bill...” Mike is cut off by Bill throwing his arms around him.

“Are you okay? What’s going on Mikey? You sounded...” Bill trails off.

Mike sighs and caresses Bill’s soft hair.

“There’s a problem, Bill, a real problem and I know you’re gonna be mad, but we made an oath.” 

“Why would I be mad at you, what oath... ahh!” Bill winches at a sudden ache in his hand that wasn’t there a second ago.

Flashes of glass, blood and hands appearing in his mind at lightening speed.

“Mike?”

“Come on.” Mike bends a little to press a gentle, loving kiss to his husband’s lips.

“We better head to the study for this.”

“Mikey, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?” Bill questions less than a second after following Mike into their study.

“I know that you don’t remember this Bill and I don’t know how else to explain this, so I’m just gonna come right out with it.”

“Come out with what? What don’t I remember, Mike? What’s going on? Please, just talk to me because you’re not making much sense, love.” Bill squeezes Mike’s hands.

“Twenty seven years ago, we made an oath. You, me and our best friends. Beverly Marsh, Eddie Kaspbrak, Stanley Uris, Ben Hanscom and Richie Tozier.” Mike starts slowly.

“Who?” Bill frowns, but is once again hit with memories.

A girl with ginger hair, Bev. Beverly.

The kid with two fanny packs. Eddie Kaspbrak.

Stan the man. Kind, lovely Stanley. Stanley Uris.

The beautiful beaming smile of one Ben Hanscom.

Richie Trashmouth Tozier.

“I. I. I don’t know who you’re. I do, but I... how am I remembering this shit then forgetting it. How did I forget? How could I?” Bill presses a hand to his mouth.

“What’s happening?”

“We made this vow in our hometown. Derry, Maine. It’s where we grew up.” Mike continues.

“I know, I know. We met in Maine. We grew up...”

“In Derry. We went to college and didn’t look back, you didn’t look back. I. I left a note for myself in one of my books. I reminder to go back every so often so I wouldn’t forget. So I could keep track of IT.”

“IT? What’s I. I. IT.” Bill stutters suddenly and Mike sighs sadly, he was afraid that this might happen.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, Bill.” Mike draws his husband into his arms.

“I don’t understand Mikey, I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me. Why am I remembering? I don’t even know what I’m remembering.” Bill cries, but Mike shushes him, rubbing his back as he continues to speak.

“It’s the past, Bill. You’re remembering our past, bits of it anyway. The vow we made.”

“The vow? Mikey, I’m not getting this. I don’t understand...” Bill trails off.

“You know how I told you that I’d be going to society weekend trips when we were at college?”

“Yeah?” Bill glances up at his husband, confused as to what that has to do with this complex discussion that is starting to tear Bill apart at the seams.

“Well, I used that as an excuse to go back to Derry. The first time I went back home after we went to college I tried finding Beverly, Eddie, Ben, Stan and Richie and they were all gone. Eddie, Richie and Stan left for college and Ben and Beverly went to some architects program, I was the only one that went back and because I went back, because I left the notes for myself, I remembered everything.” Mike explains to Bill’s continued confusion.

“What did you remember?” 

“Everything, what we did and what we have to do now. You see and you have all rights to be mad at me for this, because I have been lying to you.”

“Lying to me? Mikey, I don’t...”

“I am a librarian and I have sent funds to other libraries to stop them from being closed down, that is true, but I’ve never actually had to travel to any of them.” Mike reveals and Bill starts to step out of the embrace Mike has him in.

“What?”

“The days, the weekends I’ve been gone? Yeah, I went to a few run down libraries, but the majority of the time, I’ve been going back home, to Derry.” Mike states.

“W.What? Mike? I.I.I don’t. You haven’t been going to... You’ve been going where?” Bill is gobsmacked at Mike’s words.

“Home, Derry. I was the only one that remembered, Bill. I couldn’t. I couldn’t just walk away, we made an oath...”

“What oath?!” Bill practically shouts.

“An oath that meant if IT came back, then we come back to. We made that oath in Derry, the seven of us. It’s why your hand aches, look at it. Look at the scar.” Mike urges him.

“Scar? What s...” Bill trails off when he sees the long, slightly jagged white scar on the palm of his hand.

The thing that has been aching so terribly since Mike started talking.

“I was afraid. I’d read shit and I was afraid that we’d start to forget IT once we left Derry and we did. You did, you stopped talking about it after a few weeks? You’d forgotten IT and you’d forgotten our friends. I forgot to, but then I looked into one of the books I’d brought with me and I’d written on it. ‘You made an Oath in Derry. Go home to Derry.’ I’d left several notes for myself and when I went back to Derry I remembered, I remembered everything, so I put measures into place. I started to do research into IT.” Mike releases a long, drawn out sigh.

“IT...” Bill shakes his head, images.

Horrific images filling his mind all at once.

Rain, a storm drain.

His little brother Georgie...

The clown...

“T.T.The fuck, M.M.Mike?!” Bill starts to tremble and stutter quickly.

“I’m so sorry.” Mike reaches out for Bill but he pulls away.

“N.No. You. Y.You... What did you do, Mikey? How... You’ve been going back...”

“For twenty seven years.” Mike lowers his head.”

“Fuck... Fuck, Mikey!” Bill throws his hands up in the air.

He can’t believe this.

He can’t believe that his husband has hid this from him for twenty seven years.

He’s not even sure what Mike has even hid from him.

“The research I did. I went through Derry, talked to as many people as I could, those that would talk to me about this thing anyway. I needed information, we need information if we’re going to beat this thing. I found it. I know...”

“What? What do you know, Mike. This. This isn’t making any sense to me right now. I’m seeing things, things that aren’t making a lot of sense and you’re telling me that you’ve been visiting our home town for the past twenty seven years every time you’ve said that you’ve been at work or...”

“It technically was work. I do work at the Derry library and as I told you, I do find struggling libraries, I’ve just been travelling to Derry, travelling to several places actually to gather information.”

“Information on what?”

“Information on how to kill the shit out of IT.” Mike explains.

“There wasn’t enough people in Derry, the people I talked to? Not a long list at all, but I kept searching, I kept reading. I read every godforsaken book in that damn library, I did everything I could to figure out what was going on and I kept leaving notes for myself, notes to remind myself to come back, to carry on my work, even when... Even when we got married, when you started to get famous. When we had Georgie and Mia. I tried to cut down the visits when we had the kids, I did, but time was running out IT was going to come back. When we had Georgie and Mia I knew we could have fifteen years, fifteen years left and so I worked harder, but I tried to work here as well...”

“What do you mean you tried to work here? You?” Bill isn’t sure what Mike is trying to explain to him.

“I brought some of my work home, the bulk of it, just so I’d keep going. I kept it in the attic for awhile, bits here and there.”

“Bits of what?”

“The information! Information on how IT started.” Mike tells him.

“Is that stuff still here?”

“No, no it’s back in Derry. I was afraid that the kids would find it. I took a risk bringing that stuff here, I know, but I had to remember. I couldn’t let myself forget. So, I kept this artefact in the attic for some time and I took it away. I took it away when it hit me that our kids could get involved. I couldn’t let them...”

“Mike.” Bill speaks in a low tone of voice.

“What?” 

“How long was this thing in the attic for?”

“Few months ten years back, why? Did you. Are you remembering?” Mike’s eyes start to widen.

“Mia. Mia said that she heard something in the attack, she said that she went up there thinking you were there because she’d seen you go up there often. She. She was five. She said there were shadows. I thought. Thought she was just imagining things in the dark...” 

“No...” Mike whispers and covers his mouth with his hands, stifling a cry.

This shouldn’t have happened.

He didn’t mean for this to happen.

Not his baby...

“Mike, did she find something up there?”

“She. She. Yes. She must have seen the artefact whilst it was there, shit. I am so, so sorry. I didn’t...”

“Fuck!” Bill slams his hands down on the table.

“You’re angry and you have every right to be angry.”

“Yes. That’s the one thing you’ve said that makes any sense.” Bill rests his hands on his hips.

“You’ll never know how sorry I am, but I am. I’m going to make this right. I’m gonna call Beverly, Eddie, Ben, Stanley and Richie and we’re going back to Derry. We’re going to make this right.”

“Make this right? What even are we trying to make right, Mike? I’m not sure what I’m trying to remember here, but from what I’m remembering right now we faced something awful when we were kids, my little brother. It’s all connected to whatever I’m not remembering, but you. You remember everything, yet you didn’t think to tell me did you. You kept this to yourself.”

“I didn’t know how to tell you. You were happy, you were so happy and I knew that making you remember all that shit would only hurt you over and over again.”

“You think it’s not hurting me now?”

“It must be, I know it must be, but this is the only way. We have to stop IT. it’s starting again, people are going missing in Derry, this poor man, Adrian Melon. Found dismembered on the banks. This was IT. The cycles begin again and we’ve gotta stop IT before this cycle ends, or it’s another twenty seven years and we wouldn’t have for filled our oath.” Mike sighs.

“We gotta stop... Hey Mia.” Mike lowers his hands when he sees Mia opening the office door.

“You’ve been in here a while, is everything good?” She queries, a wide look in her big eyes.

“Mia, Mia, sweetheart.” Bill is quick to embrace his daughter.

“What’s wrong? Are you two okay?” 

“We’re fine baby, we’re fine.” Mike tries to assure her.

“I was just heading down to join you and Georgie. Papa’s...”

“Got some calls that I need to make. I’ll be down as soon as I can, but I really gotta make these calls.”

“Okay.” Mia nods.

“Go back downstairs, I’ll be right behind you.” Bill heads to the door with her, exchanging an angry look at Mike behind when she isn’t looking, pausing in the door way as he watches Mia head off down the corridor.

“I can’t believe she saw...”

“We don’t know what she saw and I’m not gonna ask, not now. We can fix this. We can end this and hopefully when the curse is broken she won’t...” Mike shakes his head.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t good enough right now Mikey.”

“We made an oath, Bill.” Mike mutters.

Bill has his head in his hands then.

This isn’t happening.

This really cannot be happening right now.

“We have to go back home.”

“We. We can’t.” Bill practically cries.

“Georgie... Mia...”

“I know, I know, but we can’t break the oath, Bill. We’re locked into this thing and we can’t get out not until we kill IT.”

“IT? I’m...” Bill presses his hands to his head as he’s hit with memories and the sting in his hand becomes nearly unbearable.

“We gotta fix this. We.” Mike stops for the briefest of moments.

“We’re going back to Derry.”

“I’m going downstairs. I’m going downstairs to our kids. To Mia and Georgie.” Bill whispers, before walking away from his husband.

“Bill...” Mike calls after him, but Bill just holds his hand up and walks away, practically jogging downstairs.

His mind racing and his palm aching.

What...

What the hell just happened?

How...

Beverly. Stanley. Ben. Eddie. Richie. Georgie. Derry. IT.

The clown...

Flashes of long forgotten memories tear through Bill’s mind like a hurricane.

What the hell is happening?

“Dad?” Georgie’s voice snaps him out of the trance the confusion has put him in.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. Yes, I just...” Bill sighs as he sits down on the large couch in between Mia and Georgie.

“The ending.”

“Oh, dad you’ll get there. You just gotta watch this film with me, Mia and papa whenever he’s done with work and you’ll get it done. It’s gonna be great, even if I don’t think it should be changed anyway.” Georgie nudges him.

Bill just laughs and wraps an arm around Georgie and Mia each.

“I love you both so much.”

“We love you too.” Georgie smiles.

“More than the world.” Mia beams.

“More than the universe.” Mike mouths from the doorway, phone in hand.

A list of numbers in the other.

They’ve gotta go back.

They gotta go back to Derry.

Mike heads back upstairs as he starts to dial the first number. 

Beverly Marsh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know why I wrote this. I don’t know what possessed me, I am so sorry. I apologise to the fandom for this abomination. I just couldn’t get the idea of the Losers having kids out of my head & this is what happened. I’m sorry. Thank you all so much for reading this & please comment if you can. Again, really sorry about this fic.


	2. Beverly Marsh & Ben Hanscom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beverly & Ben’s story

I don’t own anything. I should be impaled by Pennywise for this abomination.

Beverly Marsh never wanted children.

After everything her father did to her, Beverly had decide that she didn’t want children and that she was never going to have any.

Enter Ben Hanscom.

At some point during her childhood, her aunt decided to take her in and Beverly was going.

She’d said goodbye to her friends at the time and had everything packed to leave.

However, on the day she was going to make the move, her closest friend, Ben Hanscom had decided to spend the day with her.

He’d told her about his plans.

The plans he had to leave their hometown for a summer program dedicated to architecture.

Ben was definitely an architect in the making, so of course Beverly had encouraged him to go.

Which was when he asked her if she’d like to go with him.

The thought had been on her mind for the rest of the day and she’d left with the slip of paper Ben had given her if she wanted to apply.

She can’t remember which friend said it to her, but someone she cared about had commented on how they’d sign up just to get out of their hometown and whilst Beverly was leaving anyway, she realised that she didn’t want to go alone.

Whilst moving in with her aunt was a good thing, Beverly knew that she’d have to try and make a whole new set of friends again.

It had taken her long enough to make friends in Derry and truth be told.

Beverly didn’t want to lose her friend Ben. 

Which was why she’d handed the note to her aunt the second she saw her and to her surprise, he incredibly supportive aunt thought it was a fantastic idea.

Ben was over the moon to learn that she was coming with him and did nothing but talk about it with her for a whole week straight.

Despite knowing next to nothing about architecture, Beverly threw herself head first into the course and really excelled at everything that she learnt.

Ben was the ultimate star though.

Everyone was amazed at the inventions Ben would create and it would always be remarked on about how he would go far in this line of work and that it is most definitely his calling.

Bev just used to love it when Ben would make her little wooden trinkets.

Jewellery boxes and little figurines made out of wood.

She treasured every single one of them.

Her aunt didn’t have the heart to tell Ben to stop, even when Beverly could barely move around her room due the amount of trinkets Ben had made for her. 

It was the possessions she’d held on tightly to.

They meant so much to her.

Ben meant so much to her.

Beverly finally asked Ben to be her boyfriend when he’d made her a little wooden pot in the shape of a heart.

Ben was dazed and amazed.

Asking her over and over again if she were joking and that it was a pretty shitty thing to do if she was joking.

He couldn’t understand it.

Repeating to her that he must be dreaming.

That there’s no way that she could possibly love someone as incredibly chubby and undesirable as him.

Beverly had just cut him off then by initiating their first kiss.

It felt so right.

Bev experienced a warmth that she’d never felt before.

It filled her up and made her feel whole.

She felt protected and safe.

Ben made her feel safe.

Ben has always made her feel safe.

It was the day she had finally decided to stop daydreaming about finding the person who’d written something she can’t quite remember for her.

Whoever that was, she didn’t need them.

She’d found something better in Ben Hanscom.

Despite Ben’s continued shock and bemusement at the abrupt change in their relationship, they’ve been together ever since.

As they grew together, they became more and more career driven.

Ben wanted to start a business in architecture and Beverly wanted to make a name for herself in fashion.

They would work all day and come home to each other at night in their (at the time) incredibly small apartment.

Whoever got home first would cook, that was the agreement they came to in the end. 

They’d eat on a threadbare couch and just talk about their days, amongst other things.

One of the things Bev loves the most about her relationship with Ben is how she can talk to him about anything and everything.

Anything that’s happened she can just get it off her chest when she’s with Ben and it’s the exact same for him.

It took many, many years, but Ben eventually opened up to her about how he hated himself for looking the way he did as a kid and a teen. 

How he hated his body and how he always wished he could change it.

How his feelings only spiralled when a bully he just can’t remember the name of cut the letter ‘h’ into his torso.

The scar is still there and whilst he didn’t let Beverly near it for some time, he lets her see it now and even lets her touch it if she’s trying to comfort him.

It broke her heart when he admitted to her that he never thought they’d be together purely because he thought that she could never like him due to his looks.

Beverly promised him over and over again that she thought he was beautiful, inside and out.

That she couldn’t understand how Ben could possibly have thought that she wouldn’t love him purely because of how he looked.

Assuring him that he means the world to her and always will.

It took Beverly a while to open up to Ben herself about what really went on back in their hometown with her father.

Beverly isn’t really sure when she decided it was the right time to tell Ben the truth, but she does remember breaking down as she told he what her father did to her.

Initially, Ben was so angry.

He wanted to kill the son of a bitch.

Tear him apart for the pain and trauma he put Beverly through.

It broke his heart to hear the horrific things she went through.

How he didn’t know that she was going through all this when they were kids and that she suffered in silence for so long.

When Bev finally told him this, Ben spent the entire night just holding her in his arms as she’d cried.

Promising her repeatedly that she is safe now and that, that monster will never lay a hand on her ever again. 

Assuring her that it’s okay to cry, to scream and to break down.

That she went through something horrible and came out on the other side of it.

That she is incredibly strong, but that it’s okay to break, to admit how much those events traumatised her.

Beverly had felt like an entire weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

Feeling free from her father’s harrowing ways for the first time in her entire life.

It was because of Ben, because she finally felt safe with someone.

Ben makes her feel safe, protected and loved.

Ben makes her feel loved.

She feels so loved when she’s with Ben, she always has and she’s pretty certain that she always will.

With Ben, she was finally able to open up and let down her iron clad defences once and for all. 

Safe to do so in the nothing but protective and loving embrace of Ben Hanscom. 

Their careers eventually began to take off in wonderful and exciting ways.

Beverly started the fashion line she had been working hard for.

Creating gorgeous clothing and more which has been since featured in many popular fashion articles and showcased at various fashion shows.

Beverly even managed to convince Ben to model some of the clothes for her, which did wonders for her business even if it did mean that Ben became internet famous and declared one of the most handsome models of the year.

It was even commented somewhere online that Ben was suggested for the Man Of Style award.

Ben had freaked out about that and only calmed down when he found out that it had eventually gone to some famous comedian.

Beverly always teased him that if the architecture didn’t work out or if he got bored of it, that he could always be a model.

Ben nearly threw himself out of a window at the very notion.

Thankfully for Ben, becoming an architect reaped many rewards for him.

He never thought that he’d end up being an incredibly successful architect running his own company. 

Or that he’d finally shed the weight he had growing up and become something that he’s proud to look at in the mirror in the morning.

He put a lot of work into everything he did and came out beyond successful.

Ben has everything he could’ve wanted in life.

He has a loving and beautiful partner, he runs his own company and thanks to years upon years of going to gym everyday he finally looks how he never dreamed he’d be able to look.

He also ended up owning a boat, which he and Bev use nearly all their holidays to go out on every summer.

Ben couldn’t be happier with his life and was more than content to spend his days loving and treasuring Beverly and building whatever his heart desires.

The only think he would have liked was for Beverly to marry him.

He has always completely understood why though.

They ended up talking about it one night not long after Beverly had opened up to Ben about her past.

Beverly ended up flat out admitting to Ben that she never wants to get married or have children.

At first she’d been afraid that Ben would leave her, because she had, had the feeling that Ben would’ve wanted kids at some point.

It had been such a happy surprise when Ben was totally fine with her not wanting to get married or have children.

He didn’t even ask why she didn’t want either of those things.

He just wrapped her up into his arms and promised her that he loves her and always will and that how their life is now is more than enough for him.

Beverly did end up explaining why though.

Telling Ben that she couldn’t imagine getting married after what happened with her parents and that she doesn’t think that they need a piece of paper to prove how much they love each other.

The reason for her not wanting to have children also came from her horrific childhood.

Her fear of letting any child that she hand down because she just could not imagine herself being a very good mother.

Ben had started hating her father all over again for making her feel like this now.

That she was put through so much pain by that piece of shit that it caused her to feel this way. 

It didn’t bother him though that Bev had decided this.

He loves her more than anything and his love for her is more than enough for him to be over the moon with happiness for the rest of his life.

Beverly is enough for him.

She always will be.

However, despite Beverly’s deceleration, her and Ben making peace with the decision and Ben getting a dog.

The unthinkable happened.

It was an accident.

Beverly was just going about her day as normal when she’d realised that she was late.

At first, she tried to think of what else it could be.

Stress from working too hard maybe, however, then she had remembered the weekend when she and Ben were on the boat and she’d spent most of it throwing up.

At the time, she’d passed it off as travel sickness, even though she doesn’t get travel sick.

Which was when the horrifying realisation had started to set in. 

In the first few seconds after taking five tests and having them all come back positive, Beverly wasn’t even sure how it could have possibly happened.

They were always so incredibly careful and used every method of contraception known to man and god.

In the end, Bev had managed to figure out that it had probably happened when she and Ben were at one of the many celebrations for her ever-growing fashion line that were held.

When they were buzzed and joyful.

When they didn’t have a care in the world and just wanted to be with each other after working so hard for so many weeks on their respective projects.

It was a spur of the moment decision and it had evidently left them with game changing consequences.

Sitting on the bathroom floor, Beverly had started to wonder what she could do about this.

The thought did cross her mind that she could deal with it without telling Ben a thing. 

That she could just make an appointment and that would be it.

In her heart though, Beverly knew that would be wrong.

That she would never forgive herself for lying and hiding such a thing from Ben. 

He deserved to know the truth.

Ben found out when he’d come home from work to find Beverly crying on the bathroom floor.

After checking that she wasn’t hurt, he’d noticed the tests on the counter.

Beverly was so grateful to Ben for how well he handled it. 

He had just pulled her into his arms without saying anything and started rocking her back and forth as she had sobbed.

When she’d eventually calmed down, Bev had held on tightly to Ben as she had admitted to him that she didn’t think she’d be able to have the child and that she didn’t know what to do.

Ben hadn’t let her go for a second as he promised her that he would stand by whatever decision she chose to make.

That he would always love her no matter what choice she made and that it wouldn’t break them apart even if she chose not to keep the baby.

That he would understand completely and not think any less of her.

Beverly doesn’t know what she would have done without that reassurance from Ben. 

It made all the difference, it really did.

They didn’t talk about it for a week.

A week where Beverly was basically alone with her thoughts.

She still leaned on Ben for comfort though, allowing him to be there whenever her thoughts got too much for her.

Ben was her rock, just like he always has been and always will be and with his unwavering support, Beverly knew that she’d be able to make the right decision.

Beverly made the decision when she was sitting in her office, looking over designs for her clothing line.

She’d been talking to herself absentmindedly about the choices she was planning to make, when she’d realised that she’d had her hand resting on her stomach the entire time.

It hit her like a ton of bricks then.

She wanted to keep the baby.

Her and Ben’s child.

In a state of shock from having made the decision she never thought she would have to make, Bev just allowed herself a second to imagine herself years from now.

Happy with Ben, their dog and their child. 

Raising a child that would be pretty much all Ben and making sure that they wanted for nothing.

That they had the happiest childhood and were loved by herself and Ben.

Loved in the way that she never was as a child.

It was the realisation that she could put her past behind her and be a better parent to her own child then her’s ever were to her and love her own child unconditionally that had shocked Beverly the most.

Which was why, she’d immediately grabbed her bag and left her office.

Knowing that she needed to get to Ben to tell him the decision she had made.

She’d began to picture how happy he would inevitably be when she revealed to him that she was keeping the baby, knowing that this was what he wanted.

He’d be overjoyed.

The only problem was, was that she’d gotten into quite a tricky car wreck before she could reach him.

Ben was right there, holding her hand when she’d woken up in the hospital three hours later.

Beverly doesn’t think she’s ever seen Ben so scared before and he kept telling her that she was okay over and over again as he’d held her hands tightly, hugged her to him as carefully as he could without hurting her and pressed kisses to her forehead.

However, Beverly didn’t care what had happened to her, she was more concerned about the baby and the fear she had felt at the time only made her realise that she was definitely certain that she wanted the baby.

Her and Ben’s baby that for several agonising moments she didn’t think had survived.

That she’d gone through the last weeks fearful about making a decision only to make the decision and lose the baby less than an hour later.

She thinks she might have startled Ben when she asked him if the baby had survived.

Fortunately, he had immediately told her that the baby was fine and that she’d just hit her head pretty badly when the collision happened and definitely had a concussion.

Beverly wasn’t really paying much attention at that point, choosing to focus on her relief instead.

Until Ben had asked her what she was doing on the road at that time anyway, seeing as she should’ve been in work.

That was when Bev had finally started smiling and revealed to Ben that she was coming to visit him because she had decided to keep the baby.

As he’d held her close and had laughed as he’d given her multiple soft kisses, Ben’s beaming smile was even brighter than she had imagined.

A lot of changes took place over the course of Beverly’s pregnancy.

Ben had decided to build them a house.

Just out of the city and tucked away where they could raise their child together.

It wouldn’t be finished in nine months, but Ben made a lot of progress over the time period.

Beverly still worked.

Drawing up new designs at home when she finally relented and went on maternity leave.

She’d been determined that she could do everything just as she did before she was pregnant and she had for the majority of her pregnancy.

She’d spent a lot of her pregnancy designing a baby clothes line.

Spending time making clothes for her baby and thinking about all the clothes she’ll be able to design for her child.

Ben still waited on her hand and foot though, bringing her whatever foods she wanted whenever she wanted.

Going out at the oddest of times in the night or the early hours of the morning to get whatever she craved. 

Giving her back rubs and foot rubs whenever she even looked uncomfortable.

He gave her, her space though, he was never overbearing, just a little bit more protective than usual.

He did what he did best, was comforting and supportive, but filled his time with other things as well, such as building their house and building their baby’s cot.

Beverly cried when she saw the cot Ben had made for the first time.

All wood with intricate engravings.

He’d even made a mobile made out of soft features and shiny objects to hang above it.

It was absolutely perfect and it had made Bev so happy.

However, during the last few months leading up to the birth, Ben went into overdrive.

He completely lost his mind, is what Beverly tells everyone.

Ben wouldn’t even let her walk on her own without hovering a few feet away just in case she fell or something. 

He’d barely sleep at night because he was watching over her and during the times that Beverly managed to force him to go to sleep, he’d hold her so protectively that she could barely move.

He wouldn’t even let her up to turn off the alarm clock in the mornings, which wasn’t so bad, as Beverly took Ben leaning over her to her advantage and always gave him a loving kiss.

Beverly never got frustrated with him though, she knew he only meant well and was just worried about her.

She just ended up spending a lot of time reassuring him that she and their child would be fine and that he needs to relax a little.

Bev had been curled up in Ben’s arms on their bed when her water broke.

In the evening after a gruelling labour, Beverly gave birth to their daughter.

Wanda Hanscom-Marsh 

Both Ben and Beverly had cried when they held her the first time and whilst this had changed their lives forever.

They knew that they’d been changed for the better.

At first, Beverly held Wanda at arms length.

Her fears of doing something wrong or hurting her daughter overpowering everything else.

Especially during the nights when Wanda would cry and wouldn’t calm down when Bev would try to soothe her back to sleep.

It was incredibly disheartening for Bev when Wanda would only go back to sleep when Ben was holding her.

It broke her heart. 

She did get a nice photo and a good laugh out of one of Ben’s attempts to get her to go to sleep though.

Which was when, Ben had somehow managed to get into the cot and held Wanda until she’d gone back to sleep.

Beverly found that both rather amusing and incredibly endearing.

Beverly regrets not being there for Wanda more when she was a child, because if anything’s wrong, then Wanda will always run straight to Ben.

Ben constantly reassures her that Wanda loves her just as much and it’s probably just because he literally built them a house (which they moved into when Wanda was turning one) and built several awesome toys, including a dolls house the same size as Wanda for her and that’s why they’re so close.

Not that she’d admit it to Ben, but Beverly isn’t convinced and still lives in fear that her relationship with her daughter will always be a strained one.

Ben was so grateful that Wanda grew up looking like the spitting image of Beverly. 

Relieved beyond words that she didn’t have to go through the same thing he did as a child.

Beverly, however, can definitely see that Wanda inherited Ben’s eyes and his warm smile though.

She definitely inherited Ben’s kind and loving nature as Wanda has never been anything but kind, a little feisty sometimes, which Ben blames on Bev, but other than that she is one of the nicest kids around.

Their daughter is beyond perfect to them and she always will be.

They sent her to one of the best schools in the area, wanting her to have the best education they could get for her.

At just turning fifteen, Wanda is the most popular girl at her school, loved by all, has apparently thousands of followers on twitter and instagram, which isn’t surprising seeing as she always looks immaculate, is forever taking selfies and is never seen without her phone in her hand, unless she’s reading a book due to her being an avid reader, which she is convinced is one of the reasons why she is so incredibly clever.

Always coming home with A’s, especially in English literature and creative writing. 

Ben and Beverly have always loved reading the poetry she’s brought home to show them and the stories she has written.

Always boasting like mad to everyone they know every time she’s won an award for her writing or has had to present it.

She’d told Beverly that she thinks she wants to become a writer when she’s older when they were out shopping together, as Wanda has a great love for shopping and clothes.

Something which allowed Beverly to become closer to her daughter, as that really wasn’t Ben’s thing. 

They go shopping together every other Saturday and Beverly has always designed fashionable and fun clothes for her daughter. 

Their shopping trips is what has allowed them to bond more then they ever did when she was a baby and they always go for something to eat afterwards.

Beverly treasures these moments she has with her daughter and it makes her feel like she’s doing something right.

That she hasn’t let her daughter down.

“What book are you reading now?” Beverly asks her daughter after bringing her home from school.

Pushing her long ginger waves away from her face after updating sending a tweet on her phone, Wanda sits herself down on the couch and pulls the large book out of her bag.

“The Attic Room by William Denbrough.” She taps her perfectly manicured nails on the cover.

“It’s scary right?” Bev grins at her daughter.

“It’s amazing.” Wanda beams.

“Well, don’t let your dad see that, not exactly age appropriate.” 

“I’m weeks away from fifteen, not five, mom.” Wanda gives her a sweet smile.

“Still, you can always get away with this kinda stuff with me, but your dad?”

Wanda just chuckles.

“Okay, you read away honey, I’m gonna go and get some work done.” Beverly kisses the top of her daughter’s head, before heading upstairs to her shared bedroom with Ben.

Grabbing her tablet and sliding herself onto their bed as she starts to flick through a few designs.

Making various adjustments to several of them and a new coat for Wanda for what must have been a few hours, before she had found herself lightly dozing off.

A single droplet of water hitting her cheek, a quite unsettling nightmare that doesn’t make any sense to her as most of nightmares don’t, which is why she normally just rolls over and hugs Ben if he’s there to calm herself down and her phone vibrating is what startles Beverly awake from her doze.

Rubbing her cheek a little, Bev makes a mental note to tell Ben that the ceiling might be leaking a little.

Grabbing her vibrating phone, Bev frowns when she sees the unknown number flash up on the screen.

“Hello?” She starts of quietly.

“Beverly Marsh? It’s Mike, Mike Hanlon. From Derry.” A strangely familiar voice responds.

“I’m sorry, who?” 

“It’s me, Mike. Mike Hanlon.” The man repeats and Beverly is suddenly hit with a sharp stinging pain in her hand, an ache in her head and lightening fast flashes of images and names.

Mike Hanlon. Richie Tozier. Bill Denbrough. Stanley Uris. Eddie Kaspbrak.

Derry, her hometown.

Her and Ben’s hometown.

Beverly also sees flashes a room filled with blood, an iron grip around her throat from...

A clown? 

Blinding lights...

Lights that showed...

“No.” Beverly finds herself whispering.

“You’re remembering, that’s good. It’s good to hear your voice again.” Mike is still speaking to her.

“You too, Mike. It’s been too long, I’ve missed you. I have, even though I haven’t...”

“Thought about me in over twenty seven years? That’s alright. It’s what happens. It’ll be clearer when we’re back in Derry.” He states.

“Back in Derry? What... What are you talking about?” Beverly is confused.

“You gotta come home. IT’s come back.” Mike reveals and an awful shudder runs through her body, as if she’s been electrocuted.

IT...

More horrific images fill her mind.

Her nightmares starting to become clearer in her mind.

Bev covers her mouth with her hand, only stopping when she sees the jagged line across her hand that she can’t remember ever forgetting was there.

The line that aches...

“I can’t, Mike. I’m sorry, I can’t...” Beverly says immediately.

She has a daughter.

There’s no way, no way that she can go back there.

Not after...

More haunting flashes rip through her mind and it’s almost as if she can’t breathe.

“You made a promise, Beverly.” Mike responds softly, but firmly.

“We made an oath.”

“I’m so, so sorry Mike.” Beverly pauses to allow herself a moment to breathe.

“I don’t even really remember...”

“Haven’t you ever wondered why you can’t remember things most people should?” Mike questions her and the thoughts start to run through her mind all over again.

Until a few minutes ago, she’d never been able to recall the name of the town she and Ben grew up in.

She never remembered Mike...

Mike. Richie. Bill. Eddie. Stanley...

Derry.

“About who they are and why you have that scar on your hand.” Mike brings the fact that her palm is aching to her attention again.

“It’s okay, Bill didn’t remember either. I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t have done what I did. It’ll be the same for Ben, Stanley, Eddie and Richie when I give them a call.” Mike sighs.

“Bill, Stanley, Eddie and Richie...” Bev repeats the names that she knows means something to her.

“Yeah, I’m gonna call them. Well, Ben, Stanley, Eddie and Richie. Bill already knows, I’ll talk to him again after I’ve informed the others.” Mike trails off.

“You have to go back to Derry.” He states plainly as if it were the most easiest thing in the world.

“We all do.”

With flashes of memories streaming through her mind at an uncomfortable pace, Beverly knows, she just knows that she can’t just walk away from this.

“When?” She can barely get the words out.

“Tomorrow.”

“It’s not enough. That’s not enough time... I have...” 

“I know, I know. It’s exactly the same for Bill and I, but it’s the way it’s worked out. IT’s back and we. We made an oath, Beverly.” Mike reminds her and Beverly chokes back sobs she feels coming as tears start to slide down her cheeks.

“I know.”

Ben has had a long day at work.

He’s still got a meeting to finish up over a video conference call when he gets back, but it’s worth it.

Worth it to go back home and see his two favourite girls and his dog.

“Hey, buddy.” He greats his dog at the door who comes padding towards him the second he enters his home.

Jogging up the stairs to the living room.

Reflecting on how lovely the house he built for his family looks.

It’s quite a large and extravagant house.

All incredibly modern with different varieties of woods and large glass windows. 

It’s probably way too big for him, Bev, Wanda and their dog, but it’s perfect.

Absolutely perfect and he’s just so happy that he had the opportunity to make it for his wonderful family.

“Dad!” Wanda cheers when she sees Ben approaching, sliding her book back into her bag, before bounding over to hug her dad.

“There’s my girl!” Ben beams as she runs into his open arms.

“How’s your day been, sweetheart? Everything go okay?” He holds her close to him, looking over her shoulder when he sees Bev enter the room.

Frowning when he takes in the expression upon her face and the way that she’s moving her hands together.

She looks like she’s seen a ghost.

‘Are you okay?’ He mouths to her.

She shakes her head.

“I’ve had a great day.” Wanda replies, before beginning to excitedly tell her father about her day at school and everything she got up to, which Ben does listen to and participate in talking about, but he can’t take his eyes off of Bev.

“That’s great, Wanda, really great.” Ben congratulates her on the grades she’s telling him about.

“I’m so proud.” He kisses the top of her head, holding her to him.

“Okay, so I gotta go and finish this meeting off over a conference call. It’ll only be half an hour or more. Hopefully less. I won’t be long.” He tells both Wanda and Bev, watching Wanda resume her place on the couch and start typing away on her phone before focusing on Beverly.

“What’s wrong?” He whispers to her.

“We gotta talk about something. Somethings happened, please don’t worry right now, just do your meeting then come and find me. We really need to talk, Ben.” Beverly speaks in hushed tones as she practically falls into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around him for a few brief moments.

Just to ground herself if anything else.

“Are you hurt?” 

“No, no. I’m physically fine. We’ve just got something we both need to talk about. Please, just go to your meeting and we’ll talk about it later.” Bev holds his face in her hands for the briefest of moments, before letting him go.

“Okay, only if your sure you’re okay though.” Ben grips her hands tightly, only letting go when he’s too far away to hold them. 

Ben’s company, Hanscom & Associates is designing a new building, the reason for the conference call is because Ben isn’t the happiest with the model.

“If we put in walls here and all along here.” One of Ben’s associates discusses to Ben’s distaste.

“Lose them.” Ben pretty much orders to the reluctance of his associates.

“With all due respect, Mr. Hanscom.”

“Ben, please.” Ben hates it when they call him ‘Mr. Hanscom.’ He tries to be on a first name basis with all of his associates. 

”With all due respect to you I’m getting claustrophobic just looking at the model, aren’t you?” He starts to speak his mind.

“If we throw up more walls this place is going to feel like a prison and what do people want to do in prison? They want to get out.” He explains his point.”

“This should be a place that brings people together, a meeting ground...” He pauses for a couple of seconds, glancing briefly at his wallet set right next to his laptop.

Eyeing three small photos of Beverly, Wanda and one with the three of them together and a torn out yearbook page which only Beverly signed with a heart with a sense of fondness and melancholy.

For reasons he’s not entirely sure why that relate to his emotions about the world ‘clubhouse.’

“A clubhouse.”

“And if when people are there...” Ben trails off when his phone starts to vibrate noisily.

An unrecognisable number appearing on screen.

“Excuse me for one second.” Ben ends the conference call, reaching for his mobile.

“Hello?” He starts off a little nervously as he always does when answering an unfamiliar number.

“Ben?” An oddly familiar voice fills his ears.

“It’s Mike Hanlon, from Derry.”

Ben freezes.

His mind turning at a sickening pace as his heart starts to race...

Forcing her shaking legs to move, Beverly starts heading to Ben’s office when she thinks that the meeting might be coming to a close.

“Ben?” Beverly knocks softly on the door.

“Ben, honey?” 

Opening up the door because she knows Ben won’t mind, Beverly is horrified to find him sat on the floor, his phone on the floor beside him.

“Bev?” He whispers evidently choked up and breathing irregularly. 

“You got the call too?” Beverly states more than asks.

“Yeah, uh. I. I don’t really...”

“I know. This is what I wanted to talk to you about.” Beverly finds herself trembling again.

“Yeah. It’s... Wow.” Ben runs his hands through his hair.

“Oh, honey.” Bev whispers as she hurries over to Ben’s side, pulling him mostly into her arms, feeling his heart racing as he starts to hold onto her too.

Holding on to her tightly as he starts to cry.

“It’s okay.” Beverly strokes Ben’s hair as she holds him close to her.

“We’re going to be okay.”

“Why. Why am I feeling like this, Beverly? What’s going on. Why am I...” Ben trails off as his mind continues to race, showing him flashes of things that he just doesn’t remember.

Or at least, he didn’t until to right now.

“I don’t know.” Beverly whispers as she holds Ben tighter.

“I don’t know.” 

“Mom, dad? What’s wrong?” Wanda’s voice drags them both back to reality for a moment.

“Are you guys okay?” 

“We’re fine, honey.” Beverly tries to smile at her daughter.

“It’s been a long day, sweetheart.” Ben continues, but Wanda continues to frown, her face a mask of worry as she puts her phone down on Ben’s desk before crossing the room to kneel down beside her parents, trying to put her arms around both of them.

It alerts both Ben and Beverly anyway, who instantly throw their arms around her, holding their daughter close.

Afraid to let go, for a reason they’re just not entirety sure of, but a reason that is becoming slowly clearer by the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I apologise from the bottom of my heart for this trash. I just can’t get this idea of the Losers having kids out of my head & I just figured, fuck it. I’m gonna write it. I’m really surprised at the response to this & I’m overjoyed at the kind words I have seen, thank all so, so much, thank you for reading this abomination & please do comment if you can & tell me all your thoughts.


	3. Stanley Uris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A life led by Stanley Uris.

I don’t own anything. I am still incredibly sorry for wrecking the absolute masterpiece that is IT.

*TRIGGER WARNING*: Talking About Suicide.

When Stanley Uris left his hometown, he went straight to college.

He has always been incredibly smart and spent his days excelling in advanced math classes.

Stanley couldn’t have been happier with his life. He made some really brilliant friends and had an interesting social life, worked hard and saw it pay off day after day and was pretty certain that he had his entire future planned out for himself.

In the back of his mind, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something he was missing.

Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

If anything, it made him feel a little empty inside.

Like there was something his mind was screaming at him to remember.

An inescapable void.

Despite feeling like something was missing from his life, Stanley found something more than good enough to make him ignore those feelings.

He met his wife.

Patrica ‘Patty’ Blum.

It was at a party that Stan first met his wonderful wife.

They had been introduced by a mutual friend and had immediately clicked.

Sharing drinks together as they’d sat in the corner of the party, isolated from everyone else but each other and they’d talked all night long.

Finding out that they had lots in common, that they were both Jewish and had rather stressful, quite controlling parents, amongst many other things.

Stan had fallen in love with her that very night.

In her eyes, she was the perfect woman.

When they went their separate ways at the end of the party, it was only less than a day later that Stan was begging his friend, practically on his knees to get him in touch with Patty again.

Thankfully, that’s exactly what his friend did and soon enough, he and Patty were calling each other pretty much every day to talk about anything and everything.

It was only a couple of days later that Stan finally plucked up the courage to ask her out on a date.

He never thought for a second that she’d say yes, or that she’d say yes so quickly and sound so happy about it.

When their first date came along, Stanley was so nervous.

Spending the whole day pretty much pacing back and forth until he had to go and pick her up. 

Terrified of what might happen, afraid that it wouldn’t go well and that she’d see him for the timid loser he knows he really is.

Thankfully, he had been wrong.

Their first date went so well.

They went to a lovely restaurant and Stanley could barely keep his eyes off of the vision of beauty that was Patty throughout the entire meal.

They continued their conversations, found out more about each other and it just went really well.

Stan had never felt this way before in his entire life about someone and it meant the world to him that Patty was as interested in him as he was in her.

It was just perfect and Stan thanked deities he didn’t believe in for allowing him to encounter Patty at that party.

Especially when their date was over, because as they were walking back together, they shared their first kiss.

A kiss that was the official start to their beautiful relationship.

Stan felt like the luckiest man alive to be in a relationship with Patty Blum.

She is the kindest women he’s ever known.

Sweet, passionate and dedicated.

Stan fell in love with her all over again every time he saw her.

On the rainy days, they would sit and do puzzles together.

Or read books and compare notes.

Other than that, they would go for long walks together, something which they still do now.

Take various trips to so many new and exciting places.

Going birdwatching together.

All whilst holding on to each other’s hand.

Stan having decided a long time ago that holding Patty’s hand is one of his most favourite things to do and that he’d love nothing more than to hold her hand for the rest of his life.

Both of their families didn’t approve of their relationship one bit, but Stanley had stood his ground when addressing the subject matter with his parents.

Giving a speech to them that near enough mirrored a failed bar mitzvah that has since faded from his mind over time.

He had fallen in love with Patty all over again when she had tore both of their families a new one for being so disrespectful and so strongly against their relationship.

Even though he knew that he was in love with her and that Patty was the love of his life.

That night, after the fight with their parents, it was the first time he ever told her that he loved her and his heart swelled when she told him that she loved him too.

Stan knew in that very moment that Patty was the woman he was going to marry one day.

That he didn’t need his family anymore, because Patty has become his family.

His everything.

Patrica ‘Patty’ Blum is the love of his life and no one will ever compare to her and one day, Stan knows that he will find the courage to ask her to marry him and hopefully spend the rest of his life loving her.

A couple of years later, when he did eventually propose, he gave her a diamond ring with a daisy pushed through it.

It was completely out of the blue and incredibly spontaneous.

Sure, he’d brought the ring a long time ago, but Stan just didn’t know when would be the right time to ask her to marry him.

It was a beautiful summers day when it finally hit him that he was ready to pop the question.

Which is why, he’d taken no haste in grabbing the ring, running outside to grab a daisy, which he’d pushed through the ring before running straight back to Patty.

Out of breath when he’d finally dropped to his knees in front of her, asking her to marry him with the ring in his hand.

He had shamelessly cried when she had immediately said yes and had started jumping up and down due to the sheer happiness she had felt in that wonderful moment.

When he slid the engagement ring onto her finger and had pulled her into his arms, Stan had never felt happier.

Everything was right in the world for him.

He was going to marry the woman of his dreams.

He couldn’t be happier.

Their wedding was beautiful.

They invited all their friends and the family members that had supported their relationship.

Stan nearly started crying at the alter when he saw Patty in her beautiful wedding dress.

The two of them both teary eyed as they said their vows.

How neither of them started sobbing through the wedding vows neither of them know to this day.

Yet, both Stan and Patty remember the happy tears that had slid down their cheeks when they were finally pronounced husband and wife and how it felt like they were the only two in the room when they’d shared their first kiss as Stanley & Patty Uris.

After their simply stunning honeymoon, both of them began to work extremely hard to secure well paid jobs for themselves.

Patty became a teacher and Stan became an accountant.

They moved to Georgia, Atlanta when they had more than enough money to buy themselves a big house.

They settled in so well.

Working day in and day out.

Revelling in being able to come home to one another and just enjoy each other’s company after their long days of work.

Their lives were perfect and they wouldn’t change them for anything.

However, whilst both Patty and Stanley became incredibly house proud, it was brought up on more than one occasion that their home was too big for just the two of them.

Which was when the subject of children came up.

Despite his anxieties, Stanley was overjoyed to learn that Patty wanted to have a child with him.

It was something that they both wanted and were determined to have.

Stan still remembers the look of pure joy on Patty’s face when they’d both come to the decision that they wanted to start trying for a baby.

Yet, nothing could beat the look they’d shared when they’d finally gotten the wonderful news that Patty was expecting.

Stanley had been nothing but a ball of nerves during Patty’s pregnancy.

Afraid of what would happen when the baby came.

Afraid that he’d be a terrible father and find some way of messing his child up for life.

Patty had been by his side every step of the way.

Reassuring him that he wouldn’t turn out like his parents and that he would be a wonderful father.

The same way that Stan was their for Patty, making sure she had everything she needed during every single moment of the day.

Watching over her like a hawk in fear of something bad happening to her whilst she was pregnant.

They got through it together.

They were just celebrating finishing off their child’s bedroom over a glass of juice when Patty went into labour.

Fortunately for Patty, it was a rather quick and easy labour.

Stan had held her hand every second of it, not caring one bit if she broke something in his hand in the process.

They had both immediately started crying in sheer happiness when they were allowed to see and hold their child for the first time.

They had been gifted a son.

Alec Uris.

Stanley and Patty were nothing but supportive and loving parents to Alec as he grew up.

They were both incredibly protective of their baby, but never so much that Alec would ever feel suffocated by them. 

Whilst Stanley had been afraid of being a terrible parent to his child, all his fears were mostly evaporated when he began raising Alec with Patty.

There was nothing he loved and cherished more than coming home from a days work to see Patty with Alec.

Alec has always been extremely close to both of his parents, loving them both equally and going to both of them at the separate or the same times if anything was ever wrong.

Stan loved nothing more than spending time with his son.

Patty has many photographs of Stanley falling asleep with Alec resting on his chest as a baby and Stanley reading to and showing Alec bird books as he started to grow.

They have always gone on many holidays and different trips as a family, which Alec has always enjoyed as he grew up to be quite the adventurous child.

Stan and Patty, whilst having always supported Alec in anything and everything, both had a collective heart attack that time when five year old Alec decided to climb a tree.

Despite his adventurous nature, Alec has always been kind and well mannered.

Taking after his mother and father in that way for sure.

Anyone that ever met him as a child always remarked on how well behaved and what a little angel he was.

It never failed to make both Patty and Stanley incredibly smug and proud of their son.

He was definitely their little angel for sure.

Stanley and Patty have never taken Alec to meet their parents.

Deciding that it best to keep them out of his life.

Knowing that they’d only try to change him and judge how they’re raised him.

Especially considering that they’ve left it completely up to Alec if he wants to practice Judaism or not.

They think that it should be his choice to decide if he wants to practice it or not as they were never given the option to choose as children and don’t want Alec to grow up like they did.

They just want him to be happy.

At nearly sixteen years old, Alec is the spitting image of his father.

It terrifies everyone how strongly Alec resembles Stanley, right down to the same brown curls and the warm eyes.

He became an incredibly thoughtful, kind, caring and smart young teen.

Always willing to help anyone if they’re in need of a helping hand.

Dedicated and gentle, but with a sensible, witty and sometimes serious nature.

He was sent to a regular old high school and has always excelled at every class.

Always coming home to his parents and presenting straight A’s.

Alec has already decided that he wants to be a biologist when he’s older.

He is also very passionate about plants and has pretty much built his own greenhouse at home.

He has always come across as wiser than his years, something which Patty always has said reminds her of Stanley.

Patty and Stan couldn’t be prouder of their son and love nothing more than to boast to the other parents about how smart he is, talking about all of his achievements whenever they get the chance to.

They’re so proud of him and want him and the world to know that.

Waiting for Alec to come home from volunteering at the local animal shelter, Stanley presses a puzzle piece into place on the puzzle he is trying to complete.

Calm music plays in the background, mixed with the sound of Patty’s fingers gently hitting the keys of her laptop, typing away.

She’s planning their next family holiday.

It was Alec’s last day of school today and he’s finished for the summer now.

Which means that nearly it’s time for their annual Uris family summer holiday.

“Should I just book it?” Patty enquires.

“Are you sure you can get away from work?” She adds when Stanley doesn’t respond, completely fixated on the puzzle in front of him.

“It’s summer, why not?” Stan replies and Patty chuckles.

Her laughter like music to his ears.

“Okay, we are Buenos Aires bound!” Patty practically cheers as the front door can be heard opening.

“Hey mom, hi dad!” Alec calls as he enters the living room.

“Ahh if it isn’t my beautiful baby boy!” Patty beams at her son.

“I’m nearly sixteen, mom.” Alec chuckles as he puts his bag down.

“No matter how old you get, you’ll always be my baby boy, understand?” Patty raises an eyebrow at him as Alec crosses the room to give his mom a tight hug.

“How was your day?” Stan calls over to his son.

“Great, finished the year on a high.”

“Your bag looks emptier than it did, did you throw your textbooks away? I always used to enjoy doing that.” Stan smiles at a faded memory of standing over a bin with old friends he can no longer remember.

“I recycled them, dad. Gotta be looking out for the environment these days.” He replies as he continues to hug his mom.

“Is that?” He glances over her shoulder at her laptop screen.

“A holiday confirmation to Buenos Aires? Yes it is. You’ve just finished school for the summer, you know what that means.”

“That I’m free?” Alec grins at her.

“Yes, that of course and...”

“That it’s time for the Uris family summer holiday?”

“Exactly! Now, I better get started on dinner. I’m making your favourite.” Patty hugs her son once more.

“Pasta?” Alec’s grin grows even wider.

“You got it.” 

Alec beams, watching his mom head off to the kitchen before heading to greet his father.

“Hey, dad.” Alec plonks himself down on the couch next to his father, which causes some of the puzzle pieces to hit the ground.

“Sorry.” He immediately apologises.

“That’s alright, come here.” Stan gives his son a reassuring smile, before wrapping him up in a tight embrace.

“Have you checked your phone today?” Alec asks.

“Let me guess, you’ve sent me a meme?” Stanley lovingly rolls his eyes at his son.

Alec, the self dubbed Meme Lord, has been sending him these things ever since he got a phone and sending memes became popular. 

“Alec, what does that even mean?” Stanley is befuddled by the image he has just opened up on his phone. 

“I don’t know, it’s just a meme.” Alec shrugs.

“They go completely over my head.” Patty calls from the kitchen as Stan puts his phone back down on the coffee table, turning back to his son when he hears Alec playing something on his phone.

“What are you watching?”

“This awesome comedian, Richie Trashmouth Tozier. He’s really funny.” Alec responds whilst glued to his phone. 

Stanley thinks he might have heard the name before.

He’s not sure where though.

Maybe he was on one of the clips or one of the memes that Alec has sent him in the past.

Smiling at his son fondly, Stanley reaches down to pick up the fallen puzzle pieces.

Which is when his phone starts to vibrate.

“Alec, is that a meme?”

“Nope.” 

Reaching for his phone, Stan is perplexed when he sees a number he doesn’t recognise.

Guessing that his dad is going to answer the phone, Alec takes his leave.

“I’m just gonna go and water my plants.”

“Okay.” Stan watches Alec go with a smile before pocketing the puzzle pieces and taking the call.

“Stanley Uris speaking.” He starts formally.

“It’s Mike.” Replies an oddly familiar voice.

“I’m sorry?” Stan is instantly bewildered for reasons he isn’t entirely certain of.

“Mike Hanlon, from Derry.” 

Mike... Mike Hanlon.

Stanley is immediately hit so hard by a flurry of memories, hushed whispers and flashes of things long forgotten that his head begins to ache.

Just like the palm of his hand suddenly feels like it’s been split open.

Mike. Bill. Beverly. Ben. Eddie. Richie.

His friends.

Derry, his hometown.

How could he forget that?

Why is he only remembering this now?

What...

The painting. 

The clown.

Stanley nearly drops his mobile there and then.

Horrific flashes of horrific things long forgotten ripping his mind apart with something that can only be described as pure fear.

“Mike!” Stan says a little too loudly for his own liking, gripping the phone tightly to ground himself.

“God, sorry, yes, hi!” He laughs a little through his state of shock

“I. I just didn’t know why I. I didn’t umm...” Stanley trails off as more memories flash forcibly through his mind.

“How long has it been?” He asks to stop himself from babbling.

“A long time.” Mike replies gently.

“Twenty seven years.”

Twenty seven years.

The oath. 

The blood.

The clown...

He doesn’t know how he does it, but somehow, Stanley manages to pull himself up from the ground, beginning to pace throughout the living room.

“IT’s come back hasn’t it?” He states more than asks.

“That’s why you’re calling me.”

“IT’s starting again, Stan, yes.” Mike confirms and Stanley honestly praises himself for not dissolving into heart wrenching sobs right there and then.

He can’t do this. Not again.

This can’t be happening.

“Bad things are happening.”

“Did...” Stanley gulps, trying his hardest not to breakdown.

“Did you call the others? I mean what if they... Are they? I mean what if they don’t come...”

Bill. Mike. Ben. Eddie. Beverly. Richie. 

They flash through his mind bringing him nothing but a whirlwind of emotion.

“We made a promise, remember?”

Oh he remembers that alright.

He’s remembered so much in the last five minutes that he thinks his head is about to explode.

“How soon can you get to Derry?” Mike is asking him and Stan is floored.

He can’t go back. He can’t.

He’ll get them killed.

Yet, he is painfully aware that if he doesn’t go back then they could die anyway.

They made a promise.

An oath.

There’s no way to escape...

Stanley breathes heavily when the answer becomes clear to him.

What he must do to protect his friends.

What he must sacrifice...

“Um...” He’s lost for words.

“I, um... Well, I. I um. I would need to do a few things. I would...”

“Tomorrow.” Mike doesn’t even let him finish his sentence.

“We don’t have much time.” He admits.

Oh shit...

“I’ll text you everything you’ll need. I’ll see you soon, Stan The Man.”

Stan can’t even find it in himself to smile at the old nickname.

“Bye.” He whispers seconds before Mike hangs up.

“Who was that?” Patty is calling from the kitchen.

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to compose himself, Stanley heads into the kitchen to see his wife.

The love of his life.

“Work. Just work.” He forces a smile.

“Are you okay?” Patty looks up from her cooking.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m alright, babylove. I’m just fine.” Stan tries to assure his wife.

“You sure? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

Well... Stan wants to say but forces himself not to.

It will only make things harder and if these are his last hours.

The last hours he gets to spend with his wife, then he wants to leave her with happy memories.

“Oh, I’m fine. Just wondering how to broach the whole knocking off work for a few weeks for our summer holiday.”

“Well that’s well over a month away, so you’ve got time to work out how you’re going to word that one.” Patty nudges him in passing.

“Would you like a hand with that?” Stan gestures to the cooking she is doing.

“I would, but could you get Alec? It’s his favourite dish after all. He needs to see how it’s done for when he doesn’t need us to cook for him anymore.” Patty sighs with a warm smile.

Stan doesn’t know how he doesn’t start sobbing there and then.

Alec...

“I’ll always cook for him no matter what for sure, but he still needs to learn.” Patty continues.

“I love you, you know that right?” 

“I love you to, Stan. Are you sure you’re okay?” Patty frowns at him and Stan hates it.

He hates lying to her.

“I’m just fine, babylove. Don’t worry about me, please.”

“Oh, I always worry about you, you and Alec should be used to that by now. I’ll always worry about my boys.” Patty retorts firmly as Stan allows himself a moment to laugh, turning around and heading for Alec’s greenhouse when he thinks that he’ll start crying if he stays any longer with the woman he loves more than life.

As expected, Alec is tending to his plants in his greenhouse when Stan finds him.

“Hey.” Stan calls up to him.

“Hey, dad.” Alec waves at him from where he’s perched at the top of a narrow railing.

“Please be careful.” Stan winces.

“I’ll try.”

“Don’t try, do. I don’t want you hurting yourself.” Stan responds sternly.

“I know.” Alec smiles and Stan can’t look him in the eye anymore.

Afraid that he’ll start crying if he does so.

Knowing that these are his last moments with his son. 

He has to do it.

There’s no other way.

He can’t go back...

“Are you okay, dad? Did you need me?” Alec’s calm voice drags him out of the dark corners of his mind.

“I do, yeah. Well, your mom does. She needs your help in the kitchen.” He tries to smile back at Alec.

“Oh, okay. I’ll be right down.” He finishes watering the plant, before scaling down the ladder.

Stan between both holding it steady and holding a hand out for Alec just to make sure he gets down safely.

“Let’s get to your mom.” Stan declares after putting his arms around his son for the briefest of moments.

Walking by his side every step of the way until they reach the kitchen again.

“Go and wash your hands.” Patty instructs when Alec enters the kitchen.

“Sure.” Alec nods politely and Stanley just smiles at them.

His wife and his son.

His entire world.

It breaks his heart to know that he must leave them, but there’s no other way.

He can’t go back and he can’t just stay either.

It has to be done.

He’s got to do it.

Even if it means that he must leave Alec and Patty.

They’ll be okay, he tells himself.

They have each other and Stanley knows that they’ll look out for each other.

Somehow, they’ll make it through this.

Taking one last look at his wife and son, Stan mouths a final ‘I love you’ at them, before leaving the room. 

Which is when he finally lets the tears fall.

Stanley knows what he must do and he knows how to do it.

He just has to get his affairs in order first.

Sitting at his desk in his office, Stan begins to write.

Writing letters.

Letters to Bill Denbrough, Mike Hanlon, Ben Hanscom, Eddie Kaspbrak, Beverly Marsh, Richie Tozier, Patty Uris and Alec Uris.

They need to know the truth.

Why he’s about to do what he’s going to do.

Why he has to leave them.

He is just finishing the final letter when he is interrupted.

“Dad, we’re nearly... What are you writing?”

Stan nearly falls off his chair.

“Alec!” 

No, no, no! He shouldn’t be here, he should still be cooking with Patty.

“Wow, that’s a lot of letters. What’s going on?” Alec reaches for one of the letters on the desk.

Stan’s eyes widen as Alec takes one of the letters in hand, immediately rising to his feet and running to his son’s side to retrieve the letter.

He’s too late.

He’s too damn late.

“No, no don’t read. Alec Uris!”

“Dear Losers, I know what this must seem like, but this isn’t a...” Alec drops the piece of paper immediately.

Starting to shake as he tries to process what he just saw.

What the words he just saw meant.

No...

“Dad, um.” Tears start to appear in Alec’s eyes as he starts to stutter, unsure of what to do, what to say.

Why is this happening?

How can this be happening?

Stanley doesn’t move, just stays crouched down on the ground with the letter in his hand.

“What... What were you... You weren’t. You weren’t... You. You weren’t going to. Were you going to k...” Alec is crying now.

“Dad...”

“I. I can’t go back there.” Stan whispers, shaking his head.

“I’m too much of a coward. I can’t. They’ll die... I can’t Alec, I can’t...”

“You were going to...” Alec is near enough sobbing now and Stan immediately gets to his feet, quick to pull his son into a tight embrace.

“I’m so sorry, Alec.” Stanley cries, tears streaming down his cheeks as he holds his son close.

“Dad...” Alec is sobbing and Stanley is nearing sobs himself.

How can he do it now?

How can he leave his son, his wife?

He can’t. He can’t...

“Dad, please.” Alec is crying.

“Dad, please don’t leave me.” 

Stanley’s heart breaks in two.

He can’t do it.

He can’t leave his child.

“I’m sorry, Alec.” He whispers.

“I’m so, so sorry.” He cries, because he doesn’t know what else to say.

There’s nothing else he can say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I am so, so sorry for wrecking the masterpiece that is IT, this is so bad & I apologise for it. I still can’t get this idea out of my head. The Losers having kids just seems so intriguing to me & I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Anyway, thank you for all of you that have said such lovely things about this abomination. It means the world to me that people are actually reading this. Please do comment if you can & please do tell me all of your thoughts.


	4. Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tozier-Kaspbrak Family.

I don’t own anything. I once again apologise for this abomination. 

If there’s one thing that Richie Tozier has always known is that he is deeply in love with Eddie Kaspbrak.

He still isn’t entirely sure how a neurotic hypochondriac with two fanny packs became the love of his life, the moon to his stars and all that jazz, but what he does know is that he couldn’t imagine his life without his Eddie Spaghetti.

They had left their hometown together.

Richie had somehow managed to get into college. (to this day Eddie still doesn’t know how he managed that)

Eddie, however, had decided that he’d stay home with his mother, because his mother did not want him to leave town under no uncertain terms.

Whilst it has since faded from his mind, Richie remembers losing his entire shit with Eddie.

Trying to knock some sense into him.

Consistently repeating that Mrs. K was controlling, manipulative and abusive and that he needed to get the hell out before something really bad happened to him.

Eddie had been furious with Richie, telling him that yes, his mother might be over protective and yes, she might have been giving him gazebos for illnesses that he did not have, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t love him.

Eddie just thought that she wanted to keep him safe and he didn’t really know how to argue with that.

It was his mother after all.

She’s all he had.

Richie had given up then, telling Eddie that he was going to college and that if Eddie had any sense that he’d get out of town too.

Richie and Eddie didn’t speak for weeks then, not until the day that Richie was leaving for college.

Eddie having ran to his house just as Richie was packing his car up to say goodbye.

Not wanting them to not say goodbye to one another and have regrets years to come, as Eddie admitted that Richie was and shall always be, his best friend and that he shall never forget him and will always, always love him.

Richie had just smiled at Eddie and embraced his friend.

The person he loved. 

Someone he knew he could never admit his feelings for because that was wrong.

He shouldn’t like Eddie in that way.

Richie thought that Eddie would never speak to him again if he admitted that he loved him.

That he’s always loved him. 

To his shock, Richie Tozier had never been so wrong before.

When Eddie had left, Richie continued to pack up his things, knowing that he would be leaving soon.

Eddie couldn’t think straight the entire journey back to his house.

Could he really just let Richie leave like that?

Sure, he told him that he loved him and that he’ll always be his best friend, but it wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t enough for Eddie.

Yeah, Richie has always been an annoying piece of shit with the most inappropriate jokes and sometimes Eddie has dreamt of murdering him in his sleep, because the Trashmouth is just so damn infuriating. 

However, it was becoming clearer and clearer to Eddie that he doesn’t know who he’d be without Richie Tozier.

How could he just let him leave and risk never seeing him again?

If it wasn’t for his mom, Eddie would have gone to college with Richie in a heartbeat.

Yet, as he was walking back to his house, Richie’s words just kept running through his mind.

His mother might love him and Eddie might love her, but it is wrong.

She lied to him for years, dragged him to so many unnecessary doctor’s appointments, forced him into staying in the ER for hours, made him feel trapped and on top of it all, the gazebos!

That’s not love.

Eddie couldn’t believe it had taken him that long to understand that, but at the same time, he’s glad that he managed to get their on his own.

Now all he needed to do, was get the fuck out of that house and not look back and pray that Richie hadn’t left for college yet.

Eddie had stated that he was leaving the second he’d walked through the door, running to his room to grab everything he couldn’t live without.

He’s was never sure if he needed it or not, but he took the inhaler anyway, along with a first aid kit, some clothes, his two fanny packs and some other keepsakes that were mostly gifts from Richie.

He could hear his mother screaming at him, telling him that she couldn’t live without him and that he couldn’t live without her.

The words she’d used had been hurtful and Eddie had been so afraid that they were true, that he’d started to consider calling the whole thing off.

Stay with his mother like he said he would.

Then his mom started to insult Richie.

Sure, she’d insulted him multiple times in the past and sometimes he’s even deserved it, but the things she was saying this time were out of order.

His mom called Richie things that he’d only ever heard bullies scream at them in the streets.

Sonia Kapsbrak did everything she could to convince Eddie that Richie was impure, that he was dirty and that he would make Eddie sick because he’s wrong and people like him shouldn’t exist.

Eddie had lost his entire shit.

He faintly remembers standing up for himself against his mother before, but that was nothing in comparison to they way that he stood up to his mother that day.

Forcing her to face everything that she’d ever done to him and defended Richie in nearly every sentence before he had taken his things, stormed out of the house and hadn’t looked back.

Eddie ignored his mother’s screams as he had just ran down the street, praying to whatever’s out there that Richie hadn’t left for college yet.

Fortunately, the odds turned out to be in his favour, as when Eddie finally reached the Tozier household, Richie had been standing outside, throwing his stuff into his car.

Eddie had taken no haste in screaming Richie’s name, swearing at him a little, before asking to tag along.

Richie had been so perplexed, confused as to what changed Eddie’s mind so suddenly.

He’d decided to immediately start teasing Eddie like hell, until Eddie had started screaming and swearing at him, explaining how he’d left his mom after confronting her and that he wasn’t going to go back.

That even though he knows he’ll end up regretting it, because Richie is so annoying, that he wants to go with him.

That it’s a much more preferable option than staying with his controlling mother.

Richie hadn’t said much.

He’d given Eddie a hug when Eddie had finally stopped ranting and had thrown Eddie’s bag into the back of his car.

They’d then left their hometown and hadn’t looked back.

Despite his anxieties and his fears that he had made the wrong decision leaving his mother and his home for Richie, Eddie soon settled into the life they had began to build for themselves.

Eddie worked extremely hard at college when he’d finally been accepted.

However, he was always unsure of what line of work he would like to go into.

Richie always suggested that Eddie should have gone into medicine, but Eddie wasn’t too sure about that.

Richie, on the other hand, wanted to become a comedian.

Eddie trashed that idea on several occasions, saying that Richie would never get that far on just ‘your mom’ jokes and bad accents alone.

He did try to be supportive of Richie though, it was Richie who convinced him to breakaway from his mother and make a new life for himself.

Richie had been right, it had felt like an entire planet had been lifted off of his shoulders since he’d left home and started to do things his way.

Eddie is glad that he left and wouldn’t change the decision he made for anything.

Especially when it came to Richie, because even though it took him a long time to admit it. He knew that he loved Richie.

He loved Richie in that way.

A way that his mother had said was wrong and forbidden.

However, being away from his mother had definitely given him a new outlook on life and he didn’t think he could deny it any longer.

He, Edward Kapsbrak, loved Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier and there was nothing he could do to change that.

Eddie told Richie that he loved him first when they were in their early twenties.

Sure, he had told Richie that he loved him before when he thought that Richie was going to leave for college and that he would never see him again, but this time, it had been different.

This time it had no platonic implications whatsoever.

They’d been sitting on the floor, working on Richie’s standup when Eddie had just turned to Richie, looked him dead in the eyes and told him that he loved him.

Richie had smiled back and had immediately told Eddie that he loved him to.

“That’s not what I meant, asshole.” Eddie had ended up saying, when he thought that Richie had got the wrong end of the stick.

“I love you, love you. In that way. I’m in love with you, you moron.”

Richie’s eyes had immediately widened and he’d instantly asked if Eddie was just messing with him.

Eddie was instantly confused as to why Richie thought he was messing with him and whilst managing to insult him at the same time, questioned why he thought that.

Which was when Richie admitted to Eddie that he’d been in love with him for years.

That he never thought that Eddie would ever be able to return his feelings because it was wrong of him to feel the way he does for Eddie, which was when Richie had broken down and had cried as he admitted that he’d struggled with his feelings for years.

In fear that Eddie would never speak to him again.

Terrified that Eddie would hate him if he told him the truth. 

Which was why Richie had to ask if Eddie was just messing with him, because he knew that he’d never be able to take it if he told him that he loved him to only for it to be nothing but a joke.

Richie Tozier loves Eddie Kapsbrak more than anything else in the world and that was and will always be the honest truth.

Which was why, instead of using his words, Eddie had kissed him.

“Does that answer your questions, dickwad?” Eddie had chuckled against Richie’s lips.

“Fuck you.” Richie had muttered, tears pooling in his eyes.

“Fuck you too.” Eddie had grinned.

“I love you, Trashmouth.” 

Richie had just laughed then and pulled Eddie into his arms, their second kiss a thousand times more passionate than their first.

“I love you too, Eds.” Richie had beamed.

“I love you!”

Admitting his feelings for Eddie had set Richie free in ways he never thought possible.

Eddie feeling the same way was just a bonus.

Richie never thought that his wildest dreams could come true in this way.

He never once thought that Eddie might feel the same way.

That he would be set free from his blatant hatred towards himself for loving Eddie.

That he would come to realise that his feelings for Eddie were not wrong. unlike he was told growing up.

That it was not wrong to fall in love with another man.

Despite everything that had conspired, however, Richie still had doubts.

Believing that this would all turn out to be an elaborate prank.

That Eddie would turn around one day and tell him that he never loved him and that it was all just a joke.

Yet, Richie had spent months reminding himself that Eddie had been the one to profess his love first.

He had been the one to kiss Richie first.

Creating memories that Richie knew he would treasure forever.

It took a lot of time for Richie to believe it, but eventually he realised that Eddie Kaspbrak loved him and when he finally believed it?

It was the best feeling in the world.

As they grew together, they both settled easily into their chosen careers.

Eddie became a risk analyst.

The job suited him nicely, even if Richie would take the piss out of him for it and would pretend to fall asleep every time Eddie tried to explain it to him.

Which would always result in Richie ending up on the couch for the night and Eddie roasting him for his career path.

Richie became a comedian.

A famous one at that.

He did a lot of stand up comedy and even a stint on Saturday Night Live for a few years.

Eddie never in a million years expected Richie to become as famous as he did.

It was an annoyance to him most of the time.

Especially seeing as Richie would always tease him about it at any choice he got.

Eddie has always been incredibly supportive of him though, he went to some of Richie’s shows.

He used to go to all of them when he first started out.

Eddie never wanted to be in the spotlight though and told Richie that he would murder him in his sleep if he ever mentioned his name in any one of his performances.

Richie didn’t care one bit and wanted to show the entire world how much he loves Eddie. 

He respected Eddie’s wishes though and did his best to keep his private life private.

Yet, Richie became a menace on social media and Eddie got discovered eventually, to Eddie’s fury.

He and Richie argued about that for nearly over a week, in which Eddie nearly commanded Richie to retire from social media all together.

They’d worked it out though and Richie flat out refused to retire from social media, but tried his best to keep Eddie out of the celebrity aspect of his life.

Something which Eddie is still incredibly for.

Richie proposed.

It wasn’t exactly a conventional proposal.

Eddie wasn’t even there for starters.

It was during one of his televised specials.

He’d thrown it into his final line of his act.

Then immediately ran home to Eddie, who was preparing to head to Richie anyway after seeing that on the screen of his television.

They’d ran into each other on the stairs and Eddie had immediately started to tear Richie a new one.

Swearing at him and calling him every name under the sun as he’d expressed his distaste for the way Richie had proposed.

Eddie did say yes though, after making sure Richie knew that he was not impressed. 

Richie had been overjoyed and had immediately kissed Eddie.

“I got you a ring.” Richie had started to dig around in the inside pockets of his jacket.

“Of course you did.” Eddie had rolled his eyes as he had pressed soft kisses to Richie’s cheek.

Richie had chuckled merrily as he’d started to pull out what he’d stuck the ring in.

“Richie if you’ve put the ring in that fanny pack, I swear to fucking god!”

Richie, had in fact, put the ring in that fanny pack and Eddie had decked him with it.

Richie also put their wedding rings in a fanny pack and Eddie had called him an asshole at the alter.

Their wedding was beautiful and exactly how Eddie had wanted it.

They did argue about who was taking who’s last name though.

Eddie had expected that Richie would have taken his last name and Richie thought that Eddie would have definitely taken his last name.

They’d gone with Eddie Kaspbrak-Tozier and Richie Tozier-Kaspbrak, in the end.

Even though, Richie had flat out refused to use the name Kaspbrak to introduce himself at any of his shows.

Arguing that Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier just worked and that Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier-Kaspbrak wouldn’t have the same effect.

They had the exact same argument regarding their last names when their children were born.

Having kids wasn’t something Richie exactly discussed with Eddie.

Neither of them thought about it at all, due to both being pretty content with their lives and each other.

It just wasn’t something they had ever brought up.

That was, until Richie had made a joke during one of his live shows about having kids with Eddie and after Eddie had torn him a new one for the joke, they’d realised that they actually did want to have a kid.

Richie being Richie, immediately went overboard and envisioned him and Eddie having about seven kids.

Eddie’s mind near enough combusted such a thought.

Yet, they came to the mutual decision that they both wanted children and that it was time to start the process.

Thankfully, a good friend of theirs offered to be their surrogate, for which Eddie and Richie were eternally grateful for and were overjoyed the day they found out that they would be having a child.

It had floored them both when it was revealed to them that they were having two of them.

Two kids.

Eddie had gone into overdrive.

Immediately demanding that he and Richie moved out of their apartment so that they could buy a house.

A house big enough for the four of them.

Richie had agreed and he and Eddie brought quite a large house, a little out of the main city area for peace and privacy.

The house was perfect.

Well, it was only deemed perfect after Eddie had risk assessed both it and the rooms they would be putting their children in.

Eddie had done several risk assessments and in the end, Richie had just given up on trying to decorate the rooms and had just left Eddie to do it.

They both had deep anxieties about becoming parents.

Eddie was terrified that he’d be overprotective and turn out like his mother and Richie was afraid that he just wouldn’t be good enough.

That his kids would grow up to hate him.

Richie and Eddie spent many a night crying in each other’s arms over their anxieties and fears of becoming terrible parents.

Yet they’d eventually come to a truce that they’d watch each other’s backs and do everything in their power not to let that happen.

To be there for their children no matter what and do everything that they can possibly do to not let them down.

Richie wanted to call one of their children. 

Beverly Michael Benjamin Billiam Stanthony Tozier

Or if it was a boy.

Stanthony Billiam Michael Bev Benjamin Tozier 

Eddie had threatened to divorce him if he was adamant on those names. 

Richie had just protested that they sounded like cool names, that he wasn’t sure how he came up with them, but hell, they sound pretty damn awesome in his opinion. 

Eddie had not been amused.

Richie had cried the most when their babies were born.

Eddie cried too, but Richie was an emotional wreck the second he saw his firstborn.

His and Eddie’s son.

Stan Tozier-Kaspbrak.

Whilst Eddie had indeed hated the names Richie had initially come up with, especially ‘Stanthony’ he had thought that the name ‘Stan’ sounded nice and as long as he could write it down on the birth certificate to prevent Richie from actually calling their son Stanthony, that’s the name he wanted their son to have.

Their daughter was born twelve minutes later.

Sara Tozier-Kaspbrak.

Despite all their anxieties and fears, Eddie and Richie don’t think that they did a bad job of raising Stan and Sara.

Eddie still has a picture in his wallet of the first night they’d brought Stan and Sara home.

The picture shows Richie fast asleep on a chair with both Stan and Sara sleeping on his chest. 

It was a pretty accurate representation of their family at the time.

Eddie and Richie would almost never put Stan and Sara down.

Afraid of something happening to either of them if they weren’t in either Eddie or Richie’s arms.

As Stan and Sara started to grow, they were incredibly close to both Eddie and Richie.

It having been decided by Eddie and Richie that Eddie would be their ‘papa’ and that Richie would be their ‘dad’.

“Oh yeah, I’m the daddy.” Richie had cackled when he and Eddie had first brought that conversation up, waggling his eyebrows at Eddie.

“I swear to god, Richard!”

When they were half way through fifteen, Stan had grown up to practically be Eddie.

He was the spitting image of Eddie, except he had Richie’s height and was almost as tall as Eddie when he turned fifteen.

Stan became smart, pleasant and kind, but would be quick to bite back if anything pissed him off.

Richie would forever tease his son that he was exactly like Eddie, especially when Stan would freak out if he saw a mess of any kind anywhere.

Richie would be nearly in tears laughing when Stan would attempt to tear him a new one.

Honestly, Richie doesn’t know what he’d have done without his kids.

They’ve literally given him enough content to keep his career going for years.

Stan definitely became closer to Eddie as he grew up, appreciating his papa’s calm nature, opposed to his dad’s loud and insane one despite loving his parents equally. 

Stan would always go to Eddie if he needed help with his homework or anything at all really.

It always and still does make Richie smile when he sees Eddie and Stan sitting in Stan’s room.

Drinking a cup of tea together before they both head to bed after talking about anything and everything.

It is truly the most heartwarming sight.

At fifteen, Sara was the complete opposite to Stan.

Sara became a mini Richie. 

Quite literally a mini Richie, due to having Eddie’s height, but inherited Richie’s dark hair and his eyes.

Even his appalling eyesight, which Richie has apologised to her for ever since she was first told that she would need glasses for life.

As she started to grow up, Sara definitely got recognised for being the daughter of Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier.

Richie would find her inappropriate jokes and pranks hilarious beyond words.

Eddie and Stan would just despair.

Eddie would always be the one to reprimand her and Richie would also be included in the reprimanding for encouraging her behaviour.

Eddie had been so close to murdering Richie the first time Sara swore.

She was five years old.

It didn’t surprise anyone that Sara became closer to Richie.

The two would trade jokes and work together on extreme pranks.

Whilst Sara has always been able to go to both her father’s for anything, it’s normally always Richie who she’ll go to.

Sara and Richie were and are still the type to lie on the floor and talk to each other for hours on end whilst staring up at the ceiling.

It warms Eddie’s heart every time he sees it happen.

Despite being siblings, due to their very different personalities, Stan and Sara have always squabbled.

Stan would do anything for Sara, he really would, especially seeing as he takes being twelve minutes older than her very seriously.

Yet, Sara always manages to get on his last nerve due to her Richie-like nature and Stan definitely annoys the hell out is Sara.

It got worse as they got older.

However, no matter how old they got, Richie always liked to solve arguments as a family and his method of doing that was getting the whole family to get into his and Eddie’s bed and to either talk it or hug it out. 

The worst argument they’d ever had as a family was when Sara got suspended.

“You’re so stupid, Sara. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? The risks? You got yourself suspended, do you understand that?” Stan had practically screeched at her when an attempted reenactment of a vine had gotten Sara suspended.

“I understand that I don’t have to go to school for a little while now. Honestly, a fucking win.” Sara had shrugged.

“You could do with some time off too you know, might loosen that entire pole up your ass.”

Stan had glared down at her.

“I’ll. I’ll. I’ll tell papa about your bong!”

“What bong?” Sara had raised an entire at him.

“Don’t try to get smart dickhead, your bong. You know which one.”

“I don’t have a bong, man.” Sara raises her hands.

“Then who does that neon orange bong I found under the couch belong to then?”

“Ummm.” Richie winces as he and Eddie had started to approach their kids.

“RICHARD TOZIER-KASPBRAK!” 

Eddie and Richie had made sure to send Stan and Sara to a good school. 

Stan loved it. Excelling at every class he took.

He didn’t care about not being popular, which was probably a good thing because he’s never been popular at school, despite being the son of the famous Trashmouth.

Stan has guessed that he probably would have been more popular if he’d actually mentioned that his father is Richie Trashmouth Tozier.

Just like his papa, he hadn’t wanted the spotlight that came from being related to Richie.

Which was why he tended to avoid going to his dad’s shows or other events and went by Stan Kaspbrak at school.

He just wanted to put his head down and get on with his work and that’s exactly what he did.

Sara, on the other hand has always been the complete opposite.

She has always hated school, but enjoyed being popular.

Which is what came from Richie being her dad.

Sara has always gone to Richie’s shows and other events due to being incredibly intrigued by them and has created a huge following for herself online.

Her jokes have become just as popular as Richie’s at times and her pranks.

It’s always been mentioned in some tabloid and she and Richie have always been trending whenever they have engaged in banter over on Twitter together.

Unlike Stan, Sara fully embraced being the descendant of the great Trashmouth and has always gone by Sara Tozier.

Richie has always been grateful for Sara’s enthusiasm and her interest in his career as she has helped him navigate through social media.

However, there are some things that the Tozier-Kaspbrak’s have learnt about Richie’s online fan base that they really wish they hadn’t.

“I don’t get why nearly everyone on the internet thinks dad is so hot.” Stan had commented one day at dinner.

“Yeah, That is weird.” Sara had agreed.

“I don’t get it.” Richie had held his hands up in the air.

“I do. You are handsome, Rich.” Eddie had squeezed his husband’s hand.

“No freaking way.” Richie had protested.

“Hell yeah you are.” Eddie had continued.

Whilst having always stayed as far away from Richie’s online presence as possible, he does understand why Richie’s fan base think that he’s attractive.

Eddie has always thought that Richie is gorgeous and has and still does believe that he seems to look even better with age, what with his broad shoulders, soft curls and his infectious smile.

“Stop being gross.” Stan had face palmed the table.

“If you think all this is bad you should see the fandom dad’s got on tumblr.” Sara had snickered.

“We should just disconnect from the internet. We should do it right now.” Stan had stated.

“That wouldn’t be a bad idea at all, son.” Eddie had agreed.

“Oh it would, it really would. The internet needs my witty tweets to live.” Richie had joked.

However, Richie did find himself eating his words the day that he somehow got nominated for a Man Of Style award that no one, including himself knew how he even got nominated for what with his attire consisting of that one leather jacket he owns, unbuttoned Hawaiian shirts, the same style tee shirts underneath, the scruffiest of pants and that one suit he sometimes wears at events all year round. 

Eddie, Stan and Sara had roasted the hell out of him for that and still do whenever either of them need a good laugh.

It was only then that Richie had thought that perhaps disconnecting from the internet wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

“You’re going to do great.” Eddie assures a stressed Richie, who is a little nervous about his stand up performance later on in the afternoon.

He’s testing out some new material and he wants it to be perfect.

“You sure?”

“Yes. Don’t doubt yourself, asshole.” Eddie rests his hands on his husbands broad shoulders.

“Fuck you.” Richie grumbles.

“Fuck you.” Eddie presses a gentle kiss to the top of Richie’s head.

“You’re an idiot. You’re an actual idiot.” They’re interrupted by the sound of their kids returning home from school.

“Suck a dick, asswipe.”

“What if you’d gotten suspended again. Papa would go through the roof. I would go through the roof. Does your education mean nothing to you Sara Tozier-Kaspbrak?”

“When are you going to stop being eighty years old?”

“When are you going to stop being eight years old?!” Stan had immediately shot back.

“Okay, enough. Your dad’s stressed about his performance tonight, we need peace and quiet today.” Eddie had gone to greet his children, accepting a hug from Stan, only to have a near aneurism at the sight of Sara’s swollen and bleeding nose and her deep split lip.

“Sara. Sara, what happened to your face?!!” Eddie calls to her in alarm, which was when Richie looked up, rather horrified himself.

“Papa, I’m fine. Chill.”

“Sara, I can’t. I can’t ‘chill’ you’re bleeding. What happened? Let me take a look at that. Did you get in a fight?” Eddie starts to babble as Sara just crosses the room and launches herself into Richie’s arms.

“I know your papa’s being a little crazy right now.”

“Richard...”

“You know how he gets.” Richie continues, ignoring Eddie’s pointed glare.

“What happened, honey?” He holds his daughter close.

“It was a stupid fight.” Sara murmurs into Richie’s shoulder. 

“You should see the other guy.”

“Oh dear god, so there was a fight?! Sara, we’ve talked about this.” Eddie groans.

“What? He might be a shithead, but now one talks shit about my brother.”

“I’m proud of you for defending Stan.” Richie hugs her tight.

“Dad, it means a lot that she defended me, it does, but it doesn’t ignore the fact that she shouldn’t have solved the problem with violence.” Stan retorts.

“Exactly, violence is never the answer.” Eddie nods with folded arms.

Richie just rolls his eyes at his husband and his son.

“Wanna come to the show tonight?” He decides to ask Sara when she pulls out of the embrace.

“Yeah.” Sara nods.

“I was about to head off.” Richie gets up.

“I’ll look after her face when we get there, Eds.” He tells Eddie. 

“I don’t like her going outside with an open wound.” Eddie admits.

“I could get infected.” Stan adds.

“No it won’t.” Richie rolls his eyes at them.

“It could.” Eddie nods.

“Don’t listen to them, you’re going to be fine.” Richie pats Sara on the shoulder.

“They’re crazy.” Sara agrees.

“Have you ever heard of a staph infection?!” Both Eddie and Stan enquire at the exact same time. 

“Wow. Now that’s scary.” Richie shudders, grabbing his daughter’s arm.

“Run!”

“What did those assholes do to your brother? Do you need us to get involved?” Richie enquires when they’re sat in his dressing room and he’s carefully cleaning out the cut on Sara’s lip whilst she holds an ice pack to her nose.

“I was just walking past the classroom and someone pushed him off a stool. It was a really high stool, he could’ve cracked his head open or something.”

“Shit.” Richie winces.

“It could’ve been really serious and I just got mad. I didn’t mean to start the fight. I just...”

“Wanted to protect your brother? I’m not mad, don’t worry. Your papa isn’t either and after I tell him this, he’ll probably be thanking you for what you did to.” Richie mutters.

“I couldn’t just let that go.”

“I know. I got into my fair share of fights trying to keep those kind of assholes away from Eddie and he did the same for me.” Richie smiles at her, before sighing.

“We just want you both to be safe, alright?” He pushes Sara’s hair away from her face.

“I know.” Sara nods, giving her dad a wry smile in return before hugging him tight.

“Rich, you’re on in two minutes.” Richie’s manager calls from the now open door.

“I’m actually really nervous about this.” Richie admits to Sara.

“Really?”

“Yeah. It’s new material. I always freak out when it’s new material.” He shudders a little.

“You’re gonna be great, dad. You’re gonna be awesome.” Sara encourages him.

“Thank you.” Richie kisses her forehead before getting to his feet.

“Can you hold onto my phone for me?” He presses it into her hand as they’re walking out of the door together.

“Break a leg.” 

“If I sit on that stool and fall of it I might.” Richie snorts. 

“Now that would be interesting.”

Richie just laughs, feeling a little less nervous now he knows that his daughter will be there and has faith that he isn’t going to screw this up.

Hearing his name being announced, Richie takes a deep breath before trying to look as confident as humanly possible as he walks onto the stage with a single handed wave.

“All right, how we all doing tonight?!” Richie calls as the crowd cheers for him, including Sara from backstage.

Gripping the microphone, Richie starts off with an old joke of his.

“So my husband caught me getting high and masturbating to a block of cheese again and uh, so now I’m in masturbaters anonymous.” 

Sara rolls her eyes at him as she laughs at the old joke.

Frowning when her dad’s phone starts to vibrate in her hand.

An unknown number appearing onscreen.

“And I stand up at the first meeting and say.” Richie raises his hand and Sara ignores the call, putting the phone in her pocket, choosing to laugh at her dad’s jokes instead of answering his calls for him.

“My name is Richie Trashmouth Tozier!”

“So what are we having for dinner tonight?” Stan asks his papa as Eddie drives down the rather busy street.

“Pizza, hopefully. Hopefully we can get it all ready for when... HEY DICKHEAD, FLOW OF TRAFFIC MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?!” Eddie screams at the driver who Eddie had previously had to swerve around to miss hitting.

Stan rolls his eyes.

He loves his papa more than the world, he really does, but it is definitely a fact of life that his dad is a safer driver.

His dad also doesn’t have road rage.

“Sara and Richie get home.” Eddie finishes calmly, smiling at his son in the passenger seat.

“Great, I’m definitely glad that it’s pizza.” Stan nods.

“Yeah, figured we could all do with something... Hang on.” Eddie sighs when his phone begins to ring through his car.

“Edward Kaspbrak speaking.”

“Hey, Eddie. It’s me. It’s Mike.” Comes a voice which is too familiar for Eddie to ignore.

It’s almost unsettling.

It is unsettling.

“Mike, who?” 

“Mike Hanlon, from Derry.”

Eddie freezes, his mind running a mile a minute, images flashing through his mind all at once.

He runs a red light.

“OH SHIT!” Stan cries as a car drives straight into the corner of them.

“EDDIE! You okay?!” Mike’s worries voice fills the air.

“Stan, Stan, are you okay?” Eddie let’s go of the wheel to grab his son’s arm.

“Yeah, yeah, papa, I’m okay. What the fuck was that?!” Stan practically screeches.

“Eddie, are you okay?” Mikes voice fills the air once more.

Eddie doesn’t know what to think or what to say, which is why he just tries to breathe through the current assault on his mind and says.

“Yeah, I’m pretty good!”

“Dad, you were amazing!” Sara is the first to greet Richie when he gets off stage after receiving a standing ovation.

“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” Richie pulls Sara into a warm hug.

“It went great. You might want to cut out some of the jokes about papa though.” Sara suggests.

“Oh no, they’re great. I’m not afraid of him.” Richie laughs as Sara hands him his phone.

“It’s been ringing non stop. Same unknown number every time, I don’t know who it is, I didn’t want to answer it.” Sara tells him.

“That’s odd.” Richie frowns, taking his phone back, raising an eyebrow at the unknown number.

“I’ll be right back, hun.” Richie calls the number back before heading to the fire exit to hear better.

“Hey, dickface.” Sara accepts an incoming call on her own phone from Stan.

“Hey, Sara. Papa and I might be late home, because some old friend or something called him and well, papa crashed the car.”

“Wait what?!” Sara’s eyes widen immediately in shock.

“We’re fine, we’re both fine. It was just weird and dad’s not picking up right now.” Stan continues.

“Yeah, he’s calling someone back... Dad?!” Sara calls worriedly to her father when she realises that he’s just outside the fire exit, throwing up as he hangs over the balcony.

His phone clutched tightly in his hand.

When Eddie and Stan finally return home with some takeout pizza’s, its a lot later than they had intended to be.

Eddie having had to deal with the insurance company for a few hours what with the impromptu car crash.

Whilst having to deal with being distracted by the phone call from Mike.

Who he had called back once Stan was waiting for the pizza’s and had been told something he never expected to hear whilst being hit with an uncomfortable ache in his head from the quick flashes and an ache in his palm.

“Hey, sweetheart are you okay?” Eddie greets his daughter with a tired smile, as a concerned Sara immediately goes to put her arms around both her brother and her papa.

“I’m so glad you guys are okay.” 

“We’re fine. I just. I need to talk to you dad. Where...” Eddie looks around for Richie, surprised not to see him with Sara.

“He’s in bed. I told him that you guys were okay and what happened, but he got really sick all of a sudden before we came home so he’s been in bed since we got back.” Sara explains and Eddie knows immediately what has happened.

He knows that Richie must have received the same phone call too.

“I’m gonna go and check on him. You two get started on the pizza. I’ll be right back.” Eddie quickly pulls both of his children into his arms, before heading to the stairs.

Running through the house to get to Richie.

“Hey, Rich?” He starts softly when he opens their bedroom door.

Wincing when he switches the light on to see Richie cocooned in many blankets and the entire duvet.

“Hey, Eds. Guess who called me this afternoon.” Richie starts quietly.

“Only if you guess who called me this afternoon.” Eddie heads over to the bed.

“Mike Hanlon.” They both say their old friends name at the same time.

“I didn’t. I didn’t even. Shit, Eds.” Richie sits up suddenly and grabs the trash can next to him so that he can throw up.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Eddie rubs Richie’s back in a comforting manner.

“Gotta say, I’m not feeling too hot, Eddie, my love.” Richie murmurs.

“I don’t know why. I was fine, but then Mike called and I just... I lost it and I don’t know why. I keep seeing shit and hearing shit and it’s just...” Richie shakes his head and Eddie strokes his husband’s back in slow, soothing motions.

“I mean, I lost my shit and crashed my car.” 

“Oh fuck, you did. Are you okay? Is Stan...”

“We’re fine, we’re both fine, I promise.” Eddie presses a kiss to the side of Richie’s sweat drenched head.

“What the fuck happened, Eds, to both of us? It makes no sense. No sense at all.” Richie practically cries.

“I don’t know, Richie. I don’t know.” Eddie moves Richie a little so that he’ll be more comfortable and he is.

Feeling a lot more content than before with his head pressed against Eddie’s chest.

“We’ll figure this out.” He kisses Richie’s forehead.

“We’ll figure this out.”

“Figure out what? Is everything okay?” Stan asks from the door, Sara hovering behind him.

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. I’m just feeling like shit and this idiot crashed his only car. This is why you get more than one car, asshole.”

“Oh beep fucking beep, Richie!” Eddie groans, shaking his head at him.

“Come on.” Richie lifts himself up a little, so he’s still resting against Eddie’s chest, but so there’s more room.

“Everyone in the bed.”

“We are fifteen years old.” Stan rolls his eyes.

“So.” Sara practically leaps onto the bed, cuddling up to her dad.

“Come on.” Richie looks at his son expectantly.

“Fine, fine.” Stan mutters with much reluctance as he slides in next to his papa.

“We’re getting too big for this.” Stan murmurs as Eddie holds his son close.

“You two will never be to old for this.” Eddie murmurs as both he and Richie hold Stan and Sara tightly to them.

Afraid to let them go.

Terrified to let them go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all ever so much for reading this, it means ever so much to me that people do read this fanfic even if it is awful. I’ll try to update when I can. Thank you all so much for the support & please comment if you can & tell me all your thoughts about this.


	5. Derry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They made an oath to return...

I don’t own anything.

Sliding his phone into his pocket, Mike sighs, before deciding that its time to face Bill again.

They’re got to talk about it.

Especially seeing as he believes that it is best for them to go back to Derry tomorrow.

It has to be done, Mike thinks as he leaves the office.

They made an oath.

An oath that must be honoured and for-filled.

It’s the only way to stop IT after all.

Mike can’t help but smile a little when he enters the living room to find Bill sitting on their large couch, Georgie and Mia asleep beside him.

He didn’t think that he’d been that long.

Then again, the phone calls felt like they lasted for an eternity and Mike hated them.

He hated that he had to be the one to turn his closest friends lives upside down. 

He hates that he’s remembered them for twenty seven years and has never been able to get in touch before, or to remind Bill about the people he loved who he’d gradually forgotten over time.

It breaks Mike’s heart that it has to be like this, but unless they’d all stayed in Derry for twenty seven years, it was always going to be this way.

“Mike.” Bill suddenly whispering his name startles him a little.

He’d been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed that Bill had carefully, so his didn’t wake either of his kids, moved and is slowly approaching him.

“Hey.” Mike starts softly, surprised when Bill gently takes his hand and leads him out of the living room.

“I d.d.don’t want u.u.us to f.f.fight.” Bill admits.

“I don’t u.u.understand what’s g.g.going on and I k.k.know you’ve b.b.been h.h.hiding...” Bill trails off and Mike rests his hands against his husband’s arms. 

“If there had been any other way, I would’ve taken it. I really didn’t want to keep you in the dark, I didn’t, but there was no other way and...” Mike pauses for a moment.

“You were finally happy. You were so happy. I knew that it couldn’t last, but I wanted you to be able to have that freedom you’d found away from Derry. I wanted you to be at peace and I knew that for a while you were, but this. This was always going to come back to haunt us. We were always going to have to face the consequences of the oath.” Mike explains as carefully as he can.

“I.I.I don’t even know what you’re t.t.talking about Mikey.” Bill shrugs his shoulders in an almost helpless manner.

“I t.t.think I do, b.b.but then I don’t.” Bill admits.

“I know, that’s what IT does. I’m so sorry.” Mike is quick to pull Bill into an embrace.

He had expected Bill to push him away after everything that’s happened and it is a surprise to Mike when he doesn’t.

“W.W.Why can’t I remember, Mikey?” Bill whispers, holding on tightly to his husband.

“I d.d.don’t understand w.w.what’s going on.” 

“I’m really sorry.” Mike murmurs, pressing a feather light kiss to the side of Bill’s head.

“I’m so sorry.”

“W.W.Why d.d.do you keep a.a.apologising?” Bill looks up at him with a wide eyed stare.

Mike sighs, knowing that Bill is likely starting to forget again and that the longer they stay away from Derry, the more likely it is that this entire conversation will be forgotten.

“It doesn’t matter.” Mike kisses Bill’s forehead.

“It doesn’t matter right now. We’ve got gotta go back to Derry. If we head out early morning we should get there in the evening. We’ll all meet at the restaurant.” Mike explains.

“Wait. W.W.We’ll? W.W.Who else...” Bill starts to frown.

“Our friends. Eddie, Beverly, Mike, Ben, Stan and Richie, you know? Our oldest and most closest friends. By the grace of god, they should all be there tomorrow too. We gotta meet them there, Bill. We gotta go there.” Mike starts to head towards the stairs, but Bill grabs his hand quickly.

“W.W.What about M.M.Mia and G.G.Georgie?”

Mike pauses then, biting his lip for a moment.

He knew there would be an issue in returning to Derry now that they have kids.

That they’d have to make a choice whether to leave them here or take them with them.

“T.T.They c.c.can’t.” Bill takes a deep breath.

“They can’t come with u.u.us.” He states firmly.

“We can’t just leave them here on their own either.” Mike points out, trying to handle this as carefully as he can.

“I’m n.n.not s.s.sure w.w.why, but I t.t.think that w.w.would be better than b.b.bringing them to...” Bill trails off, pressing a hand to his mouth in an attempt to silence his impromptu stuttering.

“I know, I know. Do you think Audra will be able to take them?” Mike suggests.

“D.D.Don’t think t.t.that’s an option. I’m s.s.supposed to be on the s.s.set now and I.I.I’m not. A.A.Audra will a.a.ask questions.” Bill retorts.

Mike sighs.

“Look, I know this isn’t what either of us want to do, or probably should do, but if we did take them with us we can just leave them in the hotel and get them to stay there whilst we’re...” Mike pauses for a second.

“Okay, if we take them and get them to stay in the hotel, out of sight whilst we’re dealing with what we’ve gotta do. They should be fine. I know you don’t remember, not all of it anyway, but I do and I know that we were the only ones that could see IT.” Mike states.

“M.M.Mikey...” Bill takes a slight step back and grips his husband’s hand tighter.

“They didn’t grow up in Derry, hell they probably don’t even know what or where Derry is. IT hasn’t been able to get a hold of them, not like the hold IT has on us. If they’re locked in the hotel, they’d be fine.” Mike says to both Bill and himself.

“W.W.What are you saying, M.M.Mikey?” Bill starts, but soon realises that he doesn’t need an answer.

Yet, for reasons he’s still trying to figure out, the answer he knows he was about to receive shakes him to his very core.

“Are y.y.you sure about t.t.this?” Bill practically mouths as he and Mike edge their way into the living room where their children are still sleeping peacefully.

Bill allows himself a moment to just watch his children sleep for a moment, resting his head against Mike’s shoulder 

“No, but if. If I’m right. They should be fine. They won’t end...” Mike can’t even bring himself to finish his sentence.

“It should be fine.” He says, more to reassure himself than anything, which is when Georgie begins to stir.

“Hey G.G.Georgie.” Bill tries to smile at his son.

“Are you okay?” Georgie’s eyes immediately fill with concern.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re fine. There’s just...” Mike pauses for a second.

“Been a change in plans.”

“What kind?” Georgie shifts to sit up, being as careful as he can so he doesn’t wake Mia.

“Well, your dad and I need to go back to our home town to visit a couple of friends of ours.” Mike reveals.

“Okay. So, are you saying that we’re going away this weekend or are you saying that me and Mia are going to stay with auntie Audra?” Georgie queries.

“Well, we’re going tomorrow and because it’s so last minute, you and Mia are coming with us.”

“Can we do that? Where is all this coming from?” Georgie is confused.

“Its just something that’s come up. It’s the only time all our friends are free at the same time.” Mike continues.

“But all your friends are here?”

“Not all of them, son. Not all of them. These friends? They’re ones we’ve know since we were kids.” Mike explains with a gentle smile.

“Then who are they? And if they’re such good friends then why is this the first I’m hearing about them?” Georgie asks.

“It’s complicated, it is, but it’s something that needs to be done. We’re setting off early tomorrow, so you might want to pack a small bag before you go to bed.” Mike suggests and Georgie continues to give him a sceptical stare.

“Alright, I guess?” Georgie moves off of the couch.

“Dad, can you come and give me a hand?”

“Sure.” Bill is quick to follow his son. 

“Dad, what’s going on? Are you okay?” Is the first thing Georgie asks as they’re heading up the stairs.

“Y.Y.Yes Georgie.” Bill tries to stop himself from stuttering and finds himself failing.

“Look, dad. I know the movie is stressing you out, I get it. No one sees how awesome your endings are and that’s tragic, really, that’s bad, but dad.” Georgie sighs.

“I don’t think you can just run away from it.”

“I’m not r.r.running away from i.i.it.” Bill retorts.

“Really?” Georgie raises an eyebrow at his father.

“Then why are we doing this now? You and papa have never told us about your hometown, we’ve literally never discussed that and now we’re going there? There’s gotta be more to this dad and the only thing that I can think of is that’s it gotta do with you being really stressed.” 

“I don’t know w.w.what you want me to tell you, Georgie.” Bill admits.

“Something that makes sense?”

Bill smiles a little at his son. 

He’d like something that makes sense too, because he’s struggling to grasp the concept of why this is happening.

Why are he and Mike going to their hometown?

All Bill can remember is faces of people he assumes are his friends.

His childhood friends and that’s not all.

There’s something else.

Something lingering in the back of his mind.

Fear.

Pure, unexplainable fear.

Startled awake from an uncomfortable nightmare, Mia is immediately filled with relief when she realises that she’s in her living room, curled up on the couch and that her papa is sitting in the chair across from her.

“Hey, Mia. It’s late.” Mike reaches out towards his daughter when he sees the frightened look in her eyes and she immediately latches onto her father, hugging him as tightly as she can.

“Where’s dad and Georgie?” She whispers.

“They went up about ten minutes ago. There’s been a change in plans for this week.” Mike tells her.

“What change?” Mia frowns.

“Well, your dad and I need to meet up with some old friends of ours back in the place we grew up. We’re going there tomorrow morning.” 

“And me and Georgie are staying with auntie Audra?” Mia guesses.

That’s what always happens when their father’s go away, they go and stay with their aunt.

“Not this time Mia, it’s so last minute that you guys are coming with us. We’re setting off early so get some things together before you go to sleep.” Mike informs her.

“How long are we going for? I didn’t... Aren’t all your friends from around here? I’m confused.” She admits.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but this is something important, baby. It’s really important and I know it might not make much sense now, but it will. We’ve just gotta go back to where we came from.” Mike gives Mia a light smile that she doesn’t return as she pulls away, starting to pick at the skin around her nails.

“Has this...” She looks down at her hands.

“Papa, does this have something to do with that thing you left in the attic?” 

Mike pales immediately.

He can’t believe that Mia found that.

That was aware that it was there and touched it, went close to it.

If what Bill said was the honest truth, which Mike knows it is, then Mia was a child.

A child running around with careless abandon.

It terrifies Mike to think that she might have inhaled some of the...

“I know dad and Georgie think that I’m crazy, that I was making it up or was hearing things, but I wasn’t. I know what I saw. I don’t understand it, but I know what I saw and I heard what you and dad were talking about and I can’t help but think...”

Mia falls silent when she sees the look in her papa’s eyes.

The look of pure guilt.

“I’m not crazy, am I? What I saw...”

“It was real. I’m so sorry...” Mike trails off, ensure what he can say to his daughter right now.

She never should have seen that.

They shouldn’t be in this position right now.

This shouldn’t be happening.

Mia breathes in as slowly as she can.

It was real.

She isn’t crazy.

What she saw when she was a kid...

Part of her is happy, relieved to finally know that she isn’t crazy.

The other part of her, the more dominant part at that is terrified.

Terrified of what could happen.

Terrified of what she saw.

If that thing is real then... 

“Oh god.” Mia bites her lip nervously.

“I’m not crazy.” She whispers, a wide eyed look forming in her eyes. 

“Mia, Mia baby, you’re not crazy. You’re not, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry sweetheart, I’m sorry.” Mike immediately pulls his daughter back into another hug.

How could he have been so careless?

He should’ve left it all in Derry.

He never thought that this would happen.

Sure, it was always a risk, but Mike had to do it.

If he forgot then that would’ve been it.

It would have meant the end.

The end of a lot of things and Mike couldn’t risk it.

He just couldn’t.

But at what cost?

What price is he going to have pay for the last twenty seven years?

“Hey.” Mike starts after he and Bill have made sure that Mia and Georgie are safe in their rooms and have bid them goodnight.

“Hey, Mikey.” Bill starts with a sigh as he approaches his husband.

“How you holding up?”

Bill just shrugs.

“I d.d.don’t understand it. I don’t u.u.understand what we just t.t.told our c.c.children. W.W.Why don’t I u.u.understand?” 

“Bill.” Mike draws his husband into a comforting embrace in an attempt calm him.

“It’ll make sense. I promise you, it will make sense.” He assures his husband.

Knowing that Bill will be the first one Mike will apologise to when it all becomes clearer again.

Mike hates the fact that he’s had to keep Bill in the dark like this for so long.

The fact that he’s had to lie to Bill feels like millions upon millions of knives being driven into his heart.

He loves Bill so much and he hates what he’s had to do, but Mike just doesn’t see how else he could’ve handled this situation.

He just doesn’t know what else he could’ve done.

If there even is anything else he could’ve done to make this any easier.

This horrible, horrible task.

“Come on.” Mike presses a kiss to the side of Bill’s head.

“We should probably go to bed, get some sleep. We’re...”

“We’re going to our hometown t.t.tomorrow.” Bill stutters and Mike takes his hand.

“Yeah, Bill.” Mike squeezes his husband’s hand.

“We’re going back to Derry.”

“Why?” Bill frowns, his eyebrows furrowing in a way that is so endearing to Mike.

“To catch up with old friends.” Mike sighs as he and Bill start to prepare themselves for bed.

Neither of them saying much as they do so.

Mike is uneasy.

He knows that Bill is starting to forget again, that the memories are starting to fade once more.

He hates that this won’t last for long.

That soon Bill will be forced to remember the horror’s of the past.

That he’ll remember everything that happened to his brother and will blame himself for all that has come to pass once more.

Mike wishes that he could shield Bill from this, he really does.

Wishes that he could just take IT on by himself so that Bill never has to relieve his trauma that he has blessedly been free of for years.

Twenty seven happy years.

This shouldn’t be happening.

They should’ve killed IT back then.

They shouldn’t have to go back. 

“Mikey?” Bill gives his husband a soft look, dragging Mike out of his dark thoughts and all the way back to the present.

“Is everything...”

“Everything’s fine, just thinking.” Mike smiles back as he slides into their bed.

“What of?”

“Oh, nothing. Just a new ending for your book.”

“Mike!” Bill groans and Mike just chuckles, pulling Bill into his arms and hugging him tightly.

“What do you want to do?” Is the first thing Beverly asks Ben after the three of them had wordlessly headed to make dinner after holding onto each other until the initial panic had passed for Ben and Beverly.

Wanda had repeatedly asked them if they were okay.

They’d had to lie to her eventually just to calm her down too. 

She was and still is incredibly worried about her parents.

Which was what finally managed to force Beverly and Ben to try and hold it together for their daughter’s sake and to pick themselves up off the floor and focus on making dinner.

Well, ordering in dinner as neither Ben nor Beverly felt particularly able to do any actual cooking.

They’d probably either injure themselves or burn down the kitchen.

Which is why, after ordering food, Beverly and Ben are waiting in the kitchen and Wanda is in her room.

“I. I don’t know. I don’t even really know what happened. I know that Mike called, Mike Hanlon, a friend I haven’t thought about in years.” Ben rubs his tired eyes with his hands.

“I should’ve thought about him, Bev. How the fuck did I forget Mike? All of our friends Bill? Eddie? Stan? Richie?” Ben buries his head in his hands.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me.” 

“I know, I feel the same way. I just...” Beverly doesn’t know if she should tell Ben that she remembers more than he does.

That the phone call from Mike had awakened more thoughts within her then it had for Ben.

More heartbreaking thoughts.

Those that fill the gaps in her mind with fear and dread.

Especially the ones that force her to realise what all the nightmares she has ever had for the past twenty seven years are connected.

Forcing her to face that they are very real and are not just nightmares...

“Sweetheart.” Ben suddenly grabbing her hand pulls her out of her whirlwind of thoughts.

“Are you okay?” 

Beverly tries everything in her power not to start sobbing.

Especially as her most recent nightmare starts to become clearer in her mind by the second. 

“Do we just not go back?” Ben continues, squeezing Beverly’s hand.

“I mean, I’d love to see Eddie, Bill, Mike, Stan and Richie again, but we could invite them here? I just. Something just doesn’t feel right about going back to Derry. The place we literally grew up in but forgot, I mean what’s wrong with that?” Ben sighs and Beverly finds herself finally able to speak again.

“We have to go back.” Beverly whispers.

“I’m not sure why, but I think something really bad will happen if we don’t go back.”

“Now I think something really bad will happen if we do go back.” Ben retorts.

“No, honey. I really think that something awful will happen if we don’t go back, I know. I know this is confusing and I’m just as lost as you are, but if we don’t go back...” Beverly trails off and Ben squeezes her fingers once more before cupping her cheeks in his large hands.

“Hey, hey, what is it? Do you... Do you remember more about this than I do? I can’t really put my finger on what it is that’s going on right now, but I get the feeling that perhaps you know more about this than I do.” He speaks gently to her.

“Not really, it’s all in fragments.” Beverly admits honestly.

“I’m seeing things. Things that I can’t quite understand, maybe more than you are, but I don’t know how to explain it to you and I would if I could, Ben.” 

“I know, I know, sweetheart, I know.” Ben draws the incredibly on edge Beverly into his arms, holding her head to his chest as he presses kisses to her hair.

Having previously found it hard to breathe through the sheer panic of all the thoughts running through her head, Beverly finally finds herself able to calm herself, wrapped securely in Ben’s arms.

“So, we’re going back to Derry.” He murmurs into her hair.

“I guess so.” Bev whispers, tightening her hold on Ben.

“I love you.” She near enough cries.

“I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Bev. Always have.” Ben replies, trying to hold her as close to him as humanly possible.

Afraid to let go.

“Dad, mom. Foods here.” Wanda’s cheerful voice disturbs them as she appears in the kitchen, holding the food they delivered.

“That’s great, you sit down and your mom and I will get the plates.” Ben smiles at his daughter, before grabbing Beverly’s hand gently and tugging her towards the kitchen cupboards.

“What are we going to do about Wanda? She can’t come with us.” Ben states quietly.

“She’s a sensible kid, she could stay here. Of course I’d prefer someone to be with her, but I don’t think anyone will be able to do anything for us this last minute.” Beverly replies.

“No, we can’t leave her here on her own, she’s only fifteen.” Ben shakes his head.

“I mean, we could bring her with us.” 

“Seriously? No, I don’t want her to come with us. I don’t want our daughter anywhere close to Derry. No after...” Ben shakes his head in frustration when he can’t remember what it is that he actually wants to say.

Why he really doesn’t want his daughter anywhere near the place he and Beverly grew up.

“I don’t either, but I think she’d be fine. I can’t explain it exactly, but everything I’m anxious about only concerns you, Bill, Mike, Eddie, Stanley and Richie. It doesn’t involve Wanda, sure I’m terrified that something might happen to her, but if we left her in the hotel, I think she’d be okay.” Beverly admits.

“I don’t know, Bev.” Ben is already shaking his head, gathering the plates, knives and forks up.

“I don’t know either, I’m just afraid that something might happen to her if she’s not with us.” Beverly admits in a quiet voice.

Ben can’t bring himself to argue with her their, as a part of him believes that she’s right.

She almost always is.

“Come on.” Ben presses a kiss to Beverly’s forehead, before heading over to the table where Wanda is engrossed in her phone.

“Hey, honey.” Beverly rests her hand briefly on her daughter’s shoulder to get her attention before sitting down at the head of the table.

“Hey mom.” Wanda places her phone face down on the table.

“Are you okay? Did you guys get bad news earlier?” She enquires, still rather concerned about the state of her mom and dad. 

“No, no, sweetheart we didn’t. It was just something we weren’t expecting because it’s been so long since we heard from...” Ben finds himself unsure of how to explain the situation to his fifteen year old.

“Our friends. The phone call was from friends your father and I grew up with in our old hometown, Derry. We used to be from Derry, well I was, your father was the new...”

“The new kid.” Ben finishes as flashes of the day Beverly first spoke to him fill his mind.

A memory Ben can now see with complete clarity.

How could that have faded from his mind like that?

Wow, he’s getting old.

Wanda frowns at them.

“You’ve literally never mentioned this before. I didn’t think you even remembered where you were from.” She smiles at them, her smile only starting to fade when she sees the looks on her parents faces.

“What? How did you forget? I don’t...” Wanda is incredibly confused now.

“That is so weird.”

“I know.” Ben tries to laugh it off.

“I mean, Derry is a forgettable name.”

“Gotta be.” Wanda grins back.

“Our friends want us to meet them there, in Derry. We’re going tomorrow and we want you to come with us.” Beverly continues and Ben’s grip immediately tightens on his knife and fork.

“Cool. It’s been so long since we went on vacation. Sounds awesome.” 

“It’s not going to be that exciting. Your mother and I are just gonna go see our friends, you’re going to be staying safe in the hotel.” Ben informs her.

“Really?” Wanda tilts her head to the side, the look on her face reminding Beverly fondly of a younger Ben.

“Yeah, sorry honey, but hey! We could always go somewhere afterwards, drive out to the boat maybe. We could go to beach, make a vacation out of it?” Beverly suggests.

“That could be fun.” Wanda nods happily.

“Yeah, it could.” Ben smiles gratefully over at Beverly.

Thinking that he’ll probably definitely need some kind of vacation after the trip to Derry for some unknown reason.

Stanley doesn’t know how long he sits with his arms around his son.

The concept of time having become completely irrelevant to him as he’d tried to comfort his distraught son.

There are still tears in his own eyes and his cheeks are damp from the ones he has already shed and there have been many.

How could he have even contemplated leaving his child and his wife?

He knows why.

There’s no way he can go back to Derry.

He’s too afraid.

He’ll get them killed.

Bill, Richie, Ben, Eddie, Mike and Beverly.

His fear will get them killed.

There’s no doubt about it, him being there will bring them nothing but pain, suffering and death.

The only viable option Stan could see was taking himself off the board.

Making sure that, in his last act, he would save the people he loves.

Yet, it had barely even begun to register that in doing so would cause agonising pain to Patty and Alec.

That he would be leaving his wife and son behind with no warning and an explanation that would have made no sense to them.

He’s not even sure how he’s going to be able to explain it to Alec.

“Dad.” Alec is the first to speak after what feels like an eternity.

“Dad, I don’t understand. What could possibly be so awful that you would... Oh god...” Alec trails off, attempting everything in his power not to start breaking down again.

He needs to be strong now.

Strong for his dad.

“If I hadn’t have been here right now. If I hadn’t come looking for you, you would have... Dad, whatever it is we can get through this, me you and mom and if you don’t want to tell mom about this, then we can sort this out. I don’t. I don’t understand what’s going on, but there’s gotta be something we do. Something you can do or not do or talk to me about. Anything.” Alec finds himself practically beginning.

“I. I don’t know, Alec. It’s complicated. Really complicated.” Stan runs his fingers through his hair, shaking his head nervously.

How could he do this to his son?

What does he do now? What does he say?

Is there anything he can say?

What the hell is he going to do now?!

“I don’t care how complicated it is, dad. Whatever it is, no matter how insane you think it is, I’m here and we’ll handle it. We can get through this. This isn’t the way.” Alec sniffs.

“It can’t be the way.”

“I’m sorry.” Stan pulls his son back into his arms.

“I’m so, so sorry, Alec.” He whispers.

“What’s going on, dad? You gotta tell me. You can’t just do this and not tell me what’s going on.” Alec sighs.

“Umm...” Stan starts, but they’re both interrupted by the sound of Patty alerting them that dinner is ready.

“Dad.” Alec gently grabs his father’s arm.

“We gotta go. I promise that we’ll talk about this after dinner.” 

“Promise?” Alec gives him a look.

“I promise.” Stanley assures his son. 

“Just.” He rests a hand on his shoulder.

“Can you not mention this to your mother. I don’t...” Stan pauses, trying to remember how to breathe properly.

“She shouldn’t...”

“It’s okay, dad. I’m not gonna tell her.” Alec replies.

“Thank you.” Stan sighs in relief.

It’s bad enough that his son discovered what was going on.

He hates that he’s put Alec through this.

He just prays that his son forgives him for this.

For everything that he is going to reveal to him.

Dinner goes by in a flash and Stan tries his hardest to enjoy every second of it.

Reminding himself over and over again that he might not be here right now if Alec hadn’t have appeared when he did.

That he was so close to leaving the women he loves more than the world and his beloved son.

He chats to them both and puts on the widest smile he can muster throughout the dinner, even if he could tell that Alec is still shaken by what he’d learnt.

God, he feels dreadful for what he’s done to Alec.

He can barely look him in the eyes when Alec requests to be excused from the table when he’s finished his food so that he can return to his plants.

Stan knows that he has to follow him, explain to him the complex and twisted details of why he almost took his own life. 

He just can’t bring himself to move.

He doesn’t want to alarm Patty either, so he decides that he’ll stay and help her wash up before facing his son.

Before he finally tells his son a twenty seven years in the making story.

“Babylove.” Stan addresses his wife quietly as they’re washing up after a delicious dinner.

Patty is a fantastic cook.

She always argues that his food is the best she’s ever tasted, but Stan doesn’t believe that it even comes close to being as wonderful as her’s.

“Yeah?” Patty turns to face him with a smile and hands full of soapy dishes.

“Alec and I were talking earlier about how I’ve been trapped at work for the last few months. I hadn’t realised how little time I’ve had to spend with my son.” He starts.

Having figured that he should probably start coming up with an iron clad excuse that will allow him to go to Derry and to bring Alec with him.

Now, bringing Alec to Derry is the last thing in the universe that Stan wants to do.

It’s wrong, he’ll be putting his son in mortal danger, but he knows Alec.

He knows that Alec will do and say anything to convince him to let him come with him.

Alec is a force to be reckoned with.

He’s very much like his mother in that way.

Stan also remembers faint details of his nightmare encounters with IT.

That only himself, Bill, Eddie, Beverly, Richie, Mike and Ben had been able to see IT.

If he’s right about that, then Alec won’t even be affected by IT.

He could just leave him at the hotel and reunite with the others.

That could work...

“Yeah, he misses you. It’s been so wonderful to have been able to spend so much time with him myself, but I can tell that he’s missed his dad.” She smiles at him.

“Which was why I was thinking of proposing a road trip to him. It would only be for a couple of days, but I think that would be something nice for the two of us to do.” Stanley responds as calmly as he can, trying to avoid looking at the knives on the kitchen counter.

“That’s an amazing idea! Where are you planning on taking him? Gosh, he’s going to be so excited.” Patty clasps her hands together.

“Uh... Derry?” 

“Derry? Where’s that? I’ve never...” Patty frowns at him.

“It’s somewhere in Maine. It’s actually where I was born.” Stanley continues, trying to refrain from coming across as painstakingly nervous as he feels.

“Really? You’ve never mentioned...” Patty appears confused and whilst Stan cannot blame her for that in the slightest.

He knows that it’s best not to start explaining this to her.

It’s bad enough that Alec is vaguely aware of what is happening.

“Yeah, I mean I never thought it was important, you know what my family were like. It’s a nice place, Derry.” Stan finds himself lying through his teeth.

“Lots of nature. Gardens. There’s this really impressive swamp and you know Alec adores nature. It would really be his thing, so I figured why not take him there?” Stan forces himself to breathe when he’s finally presented his lie to his wife.

“That sounds wonderful. Alec will love you forever. Is this something you want to do this weekend with him? Or later...” Patty enquires.

“Tomorrow.” Stan says quickly.

“Tomorrow? Wow... that’s short notice.” 

“I know. I thought that, but I think I can get out of work, there’s not a lot going on in the world of accounting this week, it’ll be fine and besides, Alec just finished school today. It’ll be nice surprise for him.” Stan continues.

“It will, it’s a great idea. I do need you to promise me something though.” Patty drops the hand towel before grabbing both of Stan’s hands.

Stanley sighs, glancing down at their joined hands.

Finding momentary peace in just holding onto his wife’s hands.

“What?” 

“Don’t let Alec bring back an entire new greenhouse worth of plants. We both know that if will do exactly that if given the opportunity.” Patty warns him and Stan just laughs, drawing his wife into a tight embrace.

Trying not to think about the fact that if Alec hadn’t have stopped him that he never would have been able to do this again. 

After leaving his wife to her own devices, Stan knows that it’s time to try and explain matters to his son.

He finds Alec in his greenhouse again.

Stood on a platform that Stan has always been afraid.

Afraid that it would break whilst Alec was up on it and that he’d hurt himself.

Especially seeing as Alec built it himself.

He’s spraying his plants whilst also glancing to his phone which he’s somehow managed to stick to one of the glass panes.

“What are you watching?” Stan asks softly to alert Alec to the fact that he’s here.

“Saturday Night Live. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Richie Trashmouth Tozier is the ultimate comedic god.” Alec declares.

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Stan snorts.

“Since when have you watched his stuff? You’re literally never interested when I show you clips.” 

Stan doesn’t say anything.

Choosing to glance at Alec’s phone screen and smiling a little when he sees who he believes has to be Richie.

He looks so different, but so similar at the same time.

Still wearing those same dumbass glasses.

Shaking his head, Stan sits himself down on Alec’s greenhouse couch.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s going on?” Alec queries softly.

“Yeah.” Stan nods slowly.

“Yeah I am.”

“That’s. It. That’s why...” Stanley pauses, after explaining everything that happened twenty seven years ago to the best of his abilities.

Alec just stares at him for a moment.

“So, just so I’ve got this clear in my head. You and you childhood gang...” Alec starts.

“We weren’t exactly a gang, Alec, we were a club. The Losers Club.” 

‘Losers stick together.’ Stan suddenly finds himself remembering and his lips twitch up into a slight smile.

“Right and you and your friends got mixed up in trying to defeat a clown that was going around murdering children because it’s not just a typical murderer, but a supernatural murderer that comes out of supernatural clown killer hideout every twenty seven years to terrorise your hometown. You refer to said clown as IT and IT forced you all to face your fears, tried to kill you all multiple times and you guys did actually manage to stop lT, but not permanently so IT went back into hiding so now, twenty seven years later, IT’s back? And because you guys made a group blood oath to go back if IT ever came back, which is why you’ve got that scar on your hand, you think that you and your friends are all supernaturally linked into this and that if you’re not all there to fight the psycho clown then you’re all gonna die, but because you think that you’re the weakest out of all of your friends and the most afraid that you’ll end up getting them killed, so you were going to actually kill yourself so that it would take you out of the equation to give them the best chance they can get at taking out the child killing clown. Am I getting this right?” Alec raises an eyebrow at his father.

“That’s... That’s it, that’s the basis of this.” Stanley nods slowly.

His son thinks he’s insane, there’s no doubt about it.

Alec must think that he’s crazy after all that.

“Okay.” Alec nods.

“I mean, it’s such a lot to unpack, but I believe you.” Alec declares as he’s spraying one of his plants.

“You do?” Stan’s eyes widen a little more.

“Yeah, of course I believe you.”

“Why? It’s not something I... I would completely understand if you didn’t believe me.” Stan retorts.

“Dad, you were going to kill yourself.” Alec stares bluntly.

“You were literally writing your notes and were planning on going through with taking your own life when you were done. There’s no way you would have done a thing like that in any normal circumstances. This is the only logical explanation.” 

“That was a logical explanation?” Stanley can hardly believe his ears 

“It makes sense and you’re not insane. I believe you, this a real thing. Yeah, it’s a supernatural child murdering clown, but when life gives you lemons.” Alec shrugs.

“I have to go there tomorrow. If. If I’m going. I think I am. I don’t want to, but if I’m not there, my friends, my friends will die and I can’t be responsible for that. I still think I’m going to get them killed, but I can’t. I can’t do what I was going to do to take myself of the board. I won’t do that to you and your mom.” Stanley finds himself promising his son.

“Good and you are gonna go back, in fact. I’m going with you.” Alec declares like Stanley knew he would.

“I know what you’re going to say, but I don’t care. I’m coming with you. I’ll stay out of the way, do whatever you ask me to do, but you’re not going there alone. I don’t...” Alec looks away.

“You don’t what?” 

“Dad, I love you. I love you more than anything, but right now. Right now I’m scared that if I let you go off to that place on your own that you’re not going to come back, that you’re not even going to make it there and do what you were going to do before I found out about this. No, I’m coming with you to make sure you get to your friends in one piece.” Alec says determinedly.

“I don’t want you to be there, it’s the last thing I want, but I honestly don’t think that I can stop you.” Stan finds himself smiling a little again.

His son is so brave.

So much braver than he has ever been in his entire life.

“My friends and I. We were the only ones that could see IT. You have never encountered that thing and I hope you never will. If we’re the only ones that could see it, then I don’t think you will and you’ve never even been to Derry. So, if I let you come with me, you’re going to stay in the hotel. You are going to do exactly what I tell you at all times, alright?” 

Alec climbs down from his contraption, coming to stand directly in front of his father.

“Okay.” He nods.

Stanley embraces his son, keeping him held tightly in his arms for as long as possible.

“What are we going to tell mom. She can’t come with us. I mean, she’d probably beat that clowns ass, but then we’d have to explain this to her and then she’d probably kill both of us for not telling her sooner...”

“That’s alright. I figured you’d insist on coming with me, so I handled it.” Stan reveals.

“Really?” Alec is a little surprised.

“How?”

“We’re gonna see some Derry swamps.” 

“Derry swamps!” Stan nods as both he and Alec smile at Patty.

“I’ve already warned your dad, but I’m warn you too, don’t bring back another greenhouse worth of plants.” 

“I won’t, mom, don’t worry.” Alec assures her.

“I love your passion for all things green sweetie, but we don’t have enough room to turn this place into the botanical gardens.” Patty shakes her head at her son who laughs a little. 

“Go and pack a light bag, we’ll be heading off early tomorrow.” Stan rests a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Sure, night mom.” Alec bends down to give his mom a tight hug.

“Goodnight.”

“Night, dad.” Alec gives his father a side hug in passing.

Stan watches him leave for a moment before joining his wife on the couch.

“I love you, you know that right?” 

Patty kisses him then and Stan just wraps his arms around her as tightly as he can.

Savouring every second he has with his wife just in case.

Just in case he doesn’t come home to her.

“I love you too, Stanley.” She replies and for a brief moment that Stan knows won’t last.

All is somewhat right with the world again.

Eddie knows that he must have dozed off, as when he opens his eyes it’s late.

Sara and Stan are still curled up, fast asleep beside him in his and Richie’s bed.

It doesn’t take Eddie much time at all to work out that Richie isn’t there.

“Shit.” Eddie mouths to himself, taking his time sliding out of the bed so that he doesn’t wake his kids.

Briefly glancing at them with a warm smile, before quietly departing in search of his husband.

His mind returning to thoughts of Mike Hanlon’s phone call, his friend Mike.

Mike from Derry, his and Richie’s home town.

The memories are faint, but there are many of them and they dance around in Eddie’s mind.

Mike wants him and Richie to go back to Derry, to reunite with their friends.

Their friends...

All Eddie feels is warmth when he thinks of his friends, even if their names and faces are fuzzy to him right now.

Yet, when he thinks of Derry, all he feels is fear.

Pure, heart stopping fear.

After checking the usual places Eddie would normally find his husband and not finding him in any, he heads for living room which is where he finds Richie.

Curled up on the couch beside the lamp, Eddie’s face falls when he realises that Richie is trembling and not wearing his glasses.

“Hey.” Eddie rests a hand on Richie’s extremely tense shoulder, gently as to not startle his husband.

“Hey, Eduardo.” Richie attempts to crack a smile and ultimately fails to do even that.

“How are you doing?” Eddie eyes the couch, wondering if Richie will move his long legs to let him sit down.

He does so, but when Eddie sits down, Richie immediately drapes his legs across Eddie’s lap.

Eddie doesn’t argue about it as he normally would though.

Deciding to let Richie off for now due to the circumstances.

“Are you still feeling sick?” 

“Bit, haven’t thrown up since I got up though. I just feel...”

“Weird. I know, I do to.” Eddie nods, flashing Richie a sympathetic look.

“What the fuck are we going to do?” Richie murmurs.

“About Mike? I’m not sure, after making sure that you were okay, that’s what I wanted to ask you.” Eddie admits.

“I’m not sure why because my heads all fucked up, but I really think that going back is dumb. We shouldn’t do it. We should stay as far away from that shit hole as possible.” Richie retorts.

“I get that, Rich. I do, but wouldn’t it be nice to see our friends again? Mike and the others?” Eddie places his hands over Richie’s trembling ones.

“I don’t know, are they even our friends? I can’t even remember their names, man.” Richie starts before groaning.

“They are our friends, I can feel that, I can remember them. I know who they are, I think. I know how they made me feel anyway. I actually feel somewhat relief when I think about them now, but I just. I just can’t make sense of this entire fucking thing, I mean what the fuck is going on? I keep seeing shit and remembering shit that I shouldn’t have even forgotten. I mean why now? Why the fuck is this happening now?” Richie exclaims.

“I honestly don’t know, Rich. It doesn’t make much sense to me either. What I do know though, is that I do what to see my friends again. I don’t particularly want to go back to Derry, actually I want to stay as far away from that shit town as possible myself, but I’m sure we’ll just go, have a nice meal and a really good catch up with people I have no idea why we’ve both forgotten. Come on, Rich. It’ll be two days or more tops.” Eddie squeezes Richie’s hands as carefully as he can.

“I know there’s a reason why I don’t want to go back there. Why this is dumb.” Richie closes his eyes and shakes his head.

“I know, I feel it to and I can’t explain it either, but I think we should go there tomorrow, I do. It doesn’t feel right to just stay here and ignore what Mike has asked.” Eddie speaks slowly.

Richie is silent for some time, probably the longest he’s ever gone without talking Eddie thinks to himself.

“What about the kids? If this thing’s tomorrow then who the fuck’s gonna take them? Also I do have a show in like a few days.” Richie points out.

“We’ll be back before then and I don’t know. That’s a good point actually.” Eddie nods.

“How about you go back to Derry and I stay here with the kids?” Richie suggests to an immediate sigh from his husband.

“Mike called you too, he wants you there just as much as he wants me there.” 

“Goddammit. Thought that was my ticket out.” Richie grumbles.

“I don’t know who’s going to be able to take them this last minute and there’s no way I’m letting them stay here on their own. They’re fifteen...”

“Going on sixteen. They’ll be fine. Stan is practically you anyway.” Richie shrugs off Eddie’s concerns.

“Richie if we left our kids alone in this house it probably won’t even be standing by the time we get back. God knows what Sara would do.” Eddie smirks somewhat.

Richie chuckles for the first time in a while.

“Yeah, she’s definitely my kid.”

“No kidding.” Eddie deadpans.

“So what do you want to do then?”

“I don’t really know, Rich. I really didn’t want it to come to this, but I suppose we could take them with us to Derry...”

“No fucking way.” Richie doesn’t even let Eddie finish the sentence.

“Are you crazy Eddie?!? We can’t take them to Derry! It’s too. No. We can’t. We can’t take them there.” Richie is shaking his head.

“I know, I know, but Rich, hear me out.” Eddie leans forward and rests his palms against his husband’s warm cheeks. 

“We’ll literally be there for a day, two days tops. We’re just gonna go and see old friends, have a meal, try to work out why the fuck we’re only remembering each other now and that’ll be it. We can leave Stan and Sara in the hotel. They’ll be just fine.” Eddie reasons.

“I don’t know Eds. I don’t want Stan and Sara to come with us to...”

“Where don’t you want to take us?” Sara interrupts Richie mid sentence as she and Stan start to walk towards them, joining their father’s on the couch.

“It doesn’t matter.” 

“Yes. Yes it does matter.” Eddie corrects his husband.

“Your father and I are going away for a few days. We’re actually going back to our hometown.” Eddie reveals to them despite the glare Richie is giving him.

“Your hometown? Where’s that? You’ve literally never mentioned where you guys grew up before. I thought you said you couldn’t remember it that well.” Stan is the first to question his papa’s words.

“Well...” Eddie isn’t really sure what to say.

“You gotta admit, that doesn’t make much sense.” Sara points out.

“Yeah, it doesn’t.” Richie agrees.

“Well, it’s a place called Derry, it’s in Maine and our friends from there, people we’ve known since we were kids, they’re going to be there. We’re going back for a reunion meal.” Eddie explains.

“When?” Stan enquires.

“Tomorrow.” 

“Wow, that’s last minute.” Sara remarks.

“This is really weird. Who are these people? Why is this the first we’re hearing about them if you’ve known them since you guys were kids?” Stan frowns.

“It’s been awhile since we’ve all been in touch. We all live incredibly busy lives.” Eddie lies in an attempt to try and explain the situation that still bewilders him.

“So you’re actually gonna go back there tomorrow?”

“Well...”

“Yes.” Eddie confirms.

“And seeing as the last time I left you guys home alone to literally just go to the store and someone flooded the place.” Eddie nudges his daughter.

“That was so stupid.” Stan shakes his head at his sister.

Sara just sniggers.

“You’re coming with us. Sure, it’ll be a bit boring because all you two will be doing is staying in the hotel, but I’d like you guys to meet our friends and I really don’t want to come back and find the house burnt to the ground.” Eddie admits.

“I would argue that I would try and make sure that that wouldn’t happen, but I know my sister so, that’s cool.” Stan shrugs.

“Jerk.” Sara punches him in the arm.

“It’s true asshole!” 

“Alright, it’s nearly three in the morning. You guys should be in bed, we should be setting off early tomorrow, come on.” Eddie puts a hand out to separate his children.

“Yeah, let’s get back to bed.” Richie shifts so that he can stand up and immediately trips over his own feet due to the fact that he isn’t wearing his glasses.

“Dad!”

“Rich!”

Eddie, Sara and Stan are immediately on their feet, grabbing on to Richie to stop him from falling flat on his face.

“Where did you put your glasses?” Eddie sighs as Stan looks around for them.

“This, Sara. Is what you’ve got to look forward to.” He murmurs.

“Yeah, thanks for this dad.” Sara snorts tapping the side of her own glasses.

“Seriously, just put them on your head or something or in your pocket. What if we hadn’t been here, you would have fallen and could’ve seriously hurt yourself, dad.” Stan presses the glasses into Richie’s hands.

“He’s not wrong, Rich. It’s dangerous. Do you have any idea how many accidents happen...”

Richie groans and buries his head into his hands to try and ignore his husband and his son’s stream of panic.

“I’d say I’d try contacts again, but that was a disaster.” Richie cuts them off m.

“Oh yeah, remember when you wore contacts that time for your man of style award ceremony?” Eddie shakes his head.

“I remember the headache they gave me and the fact that I was so disoriented. I mean, at least it was a distraction from the insanity that whole situation was in the first place. I also remember what happened when I came home and you and I were stuck in the bathroom most of the night because I tried to take them out and ended up scratching my eye.” Richie glances at Eddie, shuddering slightly.

“I still have the recording of that.” Sara cackles.

“Seriously? That is so mean. Delete that. Why would you do that?” Eddie shakes his head at his daughter.

“Like you don’t have that video of dad stumbling around the house before he took them out.” Sara argues.

Eddie is silent.

Richie just looks at him with wide eyes.

“You gotta be kidding me, Eddie!”

“What?! Like you don’t have a whole folder on your phone filled with embarrassing shit I’ve done.” Eddie retorts.

Stan just shakes his head at them.

“Am I the only normal person in this family?”

“No, you’re fifteen going on eighty!” Sara points out.

“I am not!” 

Richie just embraces both his children with a smile, pulling Eddie into the embrace too as he tries to focus on them and them alone.

His family.

Richie is the first to hit the bed after seeing his kids to bed.

Eddie only joins him when he’s finished packing a bag.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Eddie climbs into the bed behind Richie and wraps an arm around his husband.

“Do you want me to move? I thought I held the title of big spoon.”

“Rich, honey, when are you ever the big spoon fucknut?” Eddie rolls his eyes at his annoying husband.

“I never hear you complaining when I am, Eds my love.”

“Go to sleep. We’re setting off early tomorrow.” Eddie presses a kiss to Richie’s hair and tightens his arm around his waist.

“Oh my god.” Richie suddenly starts.

“What, what is it? What’s wrong?” Eddie rubs Richie’s arm, holding his husband even tighter.

“I just remembered.”

“Remembered what?” 

“What we forgot. Why we can’t go back to Derry.” Richie whispers.

“Why not? Holy shit, Rich, what the fuck are you remembering?” Eddie is worried now.

“I remember that I... I remember that I fucked your mom.” Richie replies with full sincerity.

Eddie just glares at him.

“Fuck. You.”

“That’s what...”

Eddie pushes Richie off the bed.

Mike is the first up as he found that he couldn’t really sleep that much anyway.

Having spent the night watching over Bill, who had been wrapped up in his arms all night long.

Bill had been tossing and turning a lot in his sleep and Mike just did whatever he could to comfort and soothe his distressed husband.

Heartbroken that he’s the one who had to cause him this distress.

Bill is the love of his life, he hates that he’s had to make him relieve his trauma and that it’s only going to get worse from here on out as soon as they reach Derry.

He’d made breakfast for his family and they’d eaten together, Mike trying to engage a still rather confused Georgie and Mia in a conversation about Derry.

They made it onto the road in Mike’s spacious truck in no time at all.

Bill didn’t say a word throughout the majority of the journey, his anxiousness taking centre stage as he’d either look out of the window, or hold Mike’s hand when he could. 

Mia hadn’t said much either, not unless her dad, Georgie or her papa spoke to her.

Despite his confusion as to why they were going on this trip and why his papa had told him not to accept the several incoming calls from his aunt Audra, Georgie had found himself rather intrigued about the journey and happily asked his papa questions about Derry.

The town his parents apparently grew up in even though they’ve never once mentioned it before, for reasons both Georgie and Mia simply do not understand one bit.

From the second they enter Derry, it’s as if Bill’s anxious state skyrockets into oblivion.

He doesn’t even understand why.

All Bill knows is that he wants to turn around and drive his family as far away from this place as possible.

The place that is slowly reentering his memory.

He grew up here, in Derry.

Sure, it’s changed a lot.

It’s been modernised ever so slightly, but it’s definitely still the same old Derry.

The same old Derry he and Mike grew up in.

How could he forget this place?

What happened?

What is happening?

Bill’s distressed train of thought continues all the way up until Mike finally parks the car when they’re outside the townhouse.

“Do we have to stay here?” Is Georgie’s first question after Mike reveals that he and Mia are to stay in their hotel room whilst he and Bill go to their meal.

“I’d really like to meet your friends.”

“You will, I’ll make sure that you both get to meet them. You should meet them. It’s really important to me that you do get to, but for now, your dad and I have got to do this on our own. We won’t be too long. We just need you guys to stay here until then.” Mike explains calmly.

“Okay.” Georgie nods and starts scrolling through the messages he’s missed from his group chat.

“If y.y.you get h.h.hungry, please g.g.get room service. I don’t want e.e.either of y.y.you l.l.leaving your joint rooms. Not whilst w.w.we’re g.g.gone.” Bill declares.

“We’ll have our phones on at all times, so please call us if you need anything or if something’s wrong.” Mike informs them.

“Are you going to be gone long?” Mia looks up at them from her tablet.

“D.D.Don’t k.k.know, sweetheart.” Bill admits.

“We’ll be back though, we’re not just gonna abandon you both here and run away.” Mike assures them with a light laugh.

“That’s good to know, I was getting concerned. I mean, are you both still one hundred percent positive that I can’t answer auntie Audra if she calls again?” Georgie gives his parents a look.

“No! No, no that wouldn’t be a good idea right now. I know you feel bad about ignoring her, we do too, but we just...”

“I knew it. I knew you were running away from the movie, dad this is a really bad idea.” Georgie practically groans.

“I’m not.” Bill sighs.

Georgie gives him a look, before shrugging his shoulders.

“It’s a bad idea, but I don’t blame you, dad. You should go on strike, the ending is fine as it is.” 

“No it’s not.” Mia glances up at him.

“Thanks.” Bill can’t help but smirk at his daughter.

“Its not terrible it’s just... It’s so sad. The book is so great, the story is awesome, but the ending? It’s heartbreaking.” 

“It’s realistic, Mia.” Georgie retorts.

“It’s cruel. Dad, you should be kinder to your characters.” Mia suggests.

“I’ll k.k.keep that in m.m.mind.” Bill chuckles, crossing the room to give his daughter a hug.

“Again, call us if you need us, we’ll have our phones on at all times.” Mike informs his children as he ruffles Georgie’s hair, pulling his son into a gentle embrace.

“Ready?” He glances towards Bill, whom nods.

“I l.l.love you both s.s.so much.” Bill squeezes Mia’s shoulder as Georgie heads to hug his dad.

“More than anything.” Mike agrees, bending to hug Mia. 

“Love you.” Georgie murmurs into his dad’s shoulder.

Neither Bill or Mike want to let either of their children go, but it is something that they do eventually do.

They have dinner reservations to make after all.

“W.W.Where are we g.g.going, Mikey?” Bill enquires when he and Mike are back on the road.

“The Jade Of The Orient. Chinese restaurant. It wasn’t here back when we were...” Mike trails off, taking his eyes off the road for a brief second to glance at his husband.

“Do you remember anything, about this place? Is it...” Mike pauses to see what Bill decides to say.

“I keep s.s.seeing.... I know t.t.that I.I.I’m m.m.missing something I just. I just c.c.can’t quite figure it out.” Bill admits.

“I k.k.know that w.w.we fought about i.i.it.” He glances towards Mike.

“Yeah. Yeah we did.”

“W.W.Why do y.y.you know more about t.t.this than m.m.me?” Bill questions then.

“W.W.What’s going on?”

“It’ll all become clearer soon, I promise.” Mike assures his husband.

“I know it might not feel like it now, but it will and when it does, I’ll be right there. We’re in this together.” Mike promises.

“W.W.What? What are w.w.we in?” Bill frowns.

The fight of our lives, is what Mike wishes he could say, but elects not to.

Not wanting to makes things any worse than they already are.

Choosing not to say another word until they’re pulled up in a vacant parking space.

“Hey, Bill?” Mike starts softly.

“Yeah, Mikey?” Bill bites his lip nervously as he looks out at the darkened parking lot that is lightly illuminated by the neon lights of the restaurant.

“I love you.”

Bill leans forward and kisses his husband.

“I love you too.”

“Good.” Mike smiles.

“I’ll never get tired of hearing that.” He grins as he steps out of the car.

Holding his hand out for Bill to take as he starts walking towards the restaurant.

Bill is quick to follow and grabs Mike’s hand.

The two of them walking towards the Jade Of The Orient, hand in hand.

Neither Beverly nor Ben get much sleep that night.

Beverly woke up crying in the middle of the night after suffering a horrific nightmare.

She’d had the very same nightmare before now, but she’d only just realised that when she’d woken up this time.

Everything becoming increasingly more clear to her.

Ben had been there though, he’d held her as she had sobbed and had tried to break free from the clutches of the nightmare, which had shown her something awful.

A dark room within a place that was old, old and breaking down.

Ben was there and he was in pain. He was in so much pain.

Pain he was only set free from when something horrific had sliced his throat right open.

Beverly had opted not to explain her nightmare to Ben.

He’d probably think that she was losing her mind or something.

The family of three set off in Ben’s car rather early the next morning.

It’s a long trip to Derry after all.

The journey was quite uneventful.

Wanda spent the majority of it either on her phone or talking to her parents.

Beverly tried to distract herself by talking about all the clothes that Wanda wants and if there were any designs she had in mind so that Beverly could make them for her daughter.

Ben had just tried to talk about anything and everything.

Trying to distract himself from something that has shaken him to his very core. 

Something he can’t remember.

“Okay. Here we are.” Ben had whispered when he had finally parked the car outside of the hotel.

“Great! I hope to god there’s phone service.” Wanda is quick to leap out of the car.

Ben immediately starts watching her like a hawk.

Grateful that she only decides to go as far as the back of the car, where she leans against the truck as she starts rapidly typing something out on her phone.

“Hey.” Ben turns to a sleeping Beverly.

Planning to start waking her up gently.

“We’re... Woah, woah, sweetheart. Bev. Wake up, it’s okay. Wake up, you’re safe.” Ben starts when Beverly starts to shift around in her seat, tears beginning to slide down her cheeks as she starts to cry out.

“NO!” She screams, waking up with a start, her mind racing a mile a minute.

Sobbing as the memory of her nightmare becomes clear as day to her.

“Stan...” She chokes back a sob, covering her hands with her mouth, shuddering with every move she makes.

“Bev, Bev, sweetheart? I’m here. You’re safe, it’s okay. I’m right here.” Ben tries to put his arms around her the best her can and Beverly finally looks at him when she realises that she is awake and in Ben’s car.

Undoing her seatbelt, Bev immediately crawls into Ben’s lap, wrapping her arms as tightly around her partner as she can, letting him rock her back and forth as she cries into his shoulder.

“You were just having a nightmare, you’re okay. Everything’s okay.” Ben strokes her hair.

“No it’s not. It’s this place... It’s... Ben, I don’t know what’s happening. I think I do, but I don’t. I can’t make any sense of it and what I just dreamt of. Our friend... Stan...” Bev trails off, the horror of what she had seen hitting her like a ton of bricks.

“Yeah what was that...”

“Where’s Wanda?” Bev suddenly pulls out of Ben’s arms when she realises that her daughter isn’t in the backseat of the car.

“She’s on her...” Beverly doesn’t even let Ben finish his sentence before she is out of the car, searching for her daughter, who is fortunately leaning against the trunk.

“Hey, mom. Are you okay?” Wanda glances up from her phone to smile at her mom.

“Yes, yeah. I’m great. We should go and get checked in, I’m not really sure how much time me and your dad have got before we have to get to our meal. Come on.” Bev holds her hand out towards her daughter, letting out a sigh of relief when Wanda takes it.

Grabbing Ben’s hand too just for good measure.

Keeping her family as close to her as possible because just being back in Derry unsettles her greatly.

“So as we’ve said before, don’t leave the room, order room service if you get hungry and if you need us at any time, both of our phones will be on.” Ben says as he’s hugging his daughter.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got my phone and a phone charger. I’m all set.” Wanda assures him.

“That’s great. Hopefully we won’t be gone long, but in case we are, feel free to message us. We’ll always have our phones on the table and we’ll be back as soon as we can.” Ben holds her close to his chest as Beverly smiles at them both.

“He’s right, we’ll try not to be gone all night long.” She crosses the room to get to them, joining the warm embrace.

“Oh, feel free too. I don’t mind. I have my phone and the rest of William Denbrough’s book to finish. You guys go and have fun! You’re always so busy and under so much pressure at work, you deserve this.” Wanda beams at both of her parents.

“I don’t know about that.” Ben laughs lightly.

“Oh you do, just go and see your friends, have a nice catch up. Maybe I can meet them before we leave?” Wanda suggests.

“Oh, of course. I want you to meet them.” Beverly begins stroking her daughter’s long red hair.

Starting to feel more and more anxious about leaving her daughter here by herself in this hotel.

“Go. Go and have fun.” Wanda is the first to let go.

“We’ll try.” Beverly rests her hand against her daughter’s cheek once before taking a tight hold of Ben’s hand.

“We’ll see you soon, sweetheart.” Ben gives Wanda one last hug, before squeezing Beverly’s hand and leaving the room with her.

Surprising each other, Ben and Beverly find themselves talking a lot to each other on the journey to the restaurant.

Not about anything to do with Derry though, nor Beverly’s nightmares, or the fact that they can barely remember this place or their friends even if memories are slowly coming alive in their minds.

They just talk as if they were home.

Only stopping when they realise that they’ve reached the restaurant.

“This is gonna be fine, you know. We’re gonna see our friends, have a great meal and then we’re gonna go back to our daughter. It’s all going to be fine.” Ben grips Beverly’s hands gently in his own.

Giving her that warm smile she loves so much.

“I know.” Beverly nods, trying to force a smile of her own.

“I know it is. I’m just...”

“I get it. I’m feeling pretty weird too.” Ben sighs and Beverly rests her forehead against his.

“I love you, Ben Hanscom.” She murmurs.

“I love you Beverly. I always have and I always will.” Ben moves to kiss her forehead, before shifting again to kiss her lips.

Beverly just stays there for her moment, her lips pressed to Ben’s, before she wraps her arms around him, stroking his soft hair as she buries her head into his shoulder.

“We gotta go.” He murmurs.

“Can’t we just stay like this?”

“I wish we could, but we need to go and see our friends again. We gotta do this, Bev.” Ben rubs her back as she tightens her hold on him.

“Okay. I just want to check in on Wanda before we go in. I’ll be right behind you.” Beverly smiles at him once more, before reaching for her phone, as Ben slides out of his car.

Making his way towards The Jade Of The Orient, where just outside the door stands a man with curly brown hair.

It takes Ben a moment, but as he approaches the man gazing down at his phone, he soon realises that he knows exactly who it is.

It’s Stanley Uris.

All Stan felt was dread when he woke up the morning of his return to Derry.

He hadn’t slept well, having been mulling over all the possible eventualities of the trip.

None of the thoughts he had were at all positive, which is why he’d ended up just pulling Patty into his arms and holding his wife as close to his body as possible until his alarm forced him to face the day.

Patty made them breakfast before they left, making sure that they had everything they needed for their trip.

She’d even made them boxes filled with sandwiches, the leftover pasta and snacks.

Telling her boys that she loved them both and that even though she is happy about them taking this trip together, they better call her and keep in touch because she wants to know that they’re okay and because she knows that she’ll miss them like crazy whilst they’re gone.

Alec and Stanley promised to do exactly that.

Alec and Stanley making sure to have a conversation about the ‘swamps and gardens of Derry’ that they’ll be ‘visiting’ on their trip so that Patty doesn’t suspect anything else.

Stanley hated having to lie to his wife like that, but he knows that she’s better off not knowing the truth.

He did write her another letter though and left it in his office just in case he doesn’t make it back.

If IT kills him...

He wants her to know the truth if he doesn’t make it and he doesn’t want to leave it all up to Alec to explain it.

If anything, Stanley tries to hold off leaving for as long as he can.

Just so he can spend time with his wife and his son.

Precious time.

Fearing that he’ll never again get to see his beloved wife more than anything.

He and hugs her extra tightly before he leaves, just allowing himself a moment to hold onto his Patty, his babylove.

Hating that moment when she waves him and Alec off with a smile and he’s forced to say goodbye.

The journey to Derry is long and uneventful.

Alec doesn’t say much, allowing his dad some space despite the fact that they’re sitting right next to each other in Stan’s car.

He just watches clips on his phone and makes conversation here and there when his dad talks to him.

It’s a whole different story when they finally reach Derry.

Stanley’s grip becomes iron like on the wheel as memory after painful memory starts to flood his already disturbed mind.

His friends. The Losers. His parents pressure for him to become a man. Bowers. The painting. The house. 

IT...

“Hey, dad. It’s okay.” Alec grabs his father’s hand when he sees the stricken look on his face.

“We’re gonna get through this.”

“Are we?” Stanley finds himself whispering and he immediately mentally scolds himself for doing so.

He needs to be strong.

Strong for his son.

He’s got to be there to reassure Alec, it shouldn’t be the other way around.

This isn’t right.

Why is he always got to be such a coward?

“I’m sorry, Alec.” He keeps his eyes on the road, but grips his son’s hand.

“I know this is a lot.” He starts, unsure of what to say.

“Honestly, dad, the only thing I’m struggling with is the fact that you were going to...” Alec can’t finish his sentence.

“Alec...”

“I just keep thinking that if I hadn’t have been there that you would’ve... Dad, a crazy supernatural child killing clown is actually easier to accept then the fact that you would have died.” Alec admits.

“And I can’t believe that it was all because you thought that you’d get your friends killed if you didn’t remove yourself from the equation. That’s... Dad, you know you’re a badass right?” 

“That’s very kind of you, Alec, but I don’t think...” 

“You are, you’ve always stood by mom’s side and defended her if she ever needed it. You stood up to your parents and mom’s and you’re the dad that single handedly stopped me from getting both expelled and arrested after that nature march.” Alec reminds him.

“Let’s not revisit that.” Stan finds himself chuckling a little at the memory.

“Whoever your friends are, they’re nowhere near as cool as you.” Alec adds.

“How do you know?” Stan glances at his son.

“Because you’re my dad.” Alec smiles back.

“You’re awesome.”

“Alright, so your mother sent us off with enough food to last us a few days, so if you’re hungry you’re all set.” Stan comments when he’s preparing to leave Alec behind at the townhouse hotel.

“I love my mom.” Alec smiles fondly at the containers of food.

“She is a wonderful woman.” Stan agrees.

“Which is why you need to stay in touch with her if she calls or messages you or anything.”

“I will. Got my phone right here.” Alec shakes it at him.

“I’m fully prepared to answer phone calls from mom and to receive a confirmation message that you’ve gotten to the restaurant in one piece. I’ll send you a meme to alert you just in case.” 

Stanley sighs.

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll try not to be gone too long, can’t make any promises. I’m not really sure what I’m about to face.” Stan finds himself revealing.

“For now, your friends.” 

“I hope so.” Stan looks around the room nervously.

“Okay, don’t leave the room at any time, alright? If you stay here, I think you’ll be safe. Stay in touch and call me if anything goes wrong.”

“I will, don’t worry. Besides, if the clown does show up...”

“Please don’t say that, Alec.” Stan pales at the very thought.

“I’m armed.” Alec reveals with a grin. 

“What do you mean you’re armed? Alec, what did you...”

“I got a spray bottle in my bag. It’s filled with water and plant feed. I use it to...”

“Maintain your greenhouse. Alec.” Stan sits himself down on the bed beside his son.

“Why do you think that could be used as weapon? It’s just water and plant feed.”

“I don’t know.” Alec shrugs.

“Figured it was worth a try, I wasn’t sure what you were supposed to arm yourself with against a supernatural clown. The Wicked Witch in the Wizard Of Oz got melted by water.”

“That’s just a story though.” Stan chuckles.

“Yeah, well. l don’t think psycho supernatural clowns are supposed to exist either.” Alec retorts.

Stan can’t even argue with him.

“You have a point.”

“I know, now go and see your friends. Try not to think about the psychotic child murdering clown and just enjoy your reunion. I’ll be right here.” Alec tries to assure his father moments before he wraps his arms around him as tightly as he can.

“Be careful, dad.” He murmurs after a moment.

“I’ll try.” 

Everything that Stanley was feeling before becomes a million times worse when he leaves Alec behind in the hotel.

The images in his mind become clearer and the fear he had felt when he was only a kid comes flooding back in waves.

He keeps on driving though.

Driving to the Jade Of The Orient.

He promised Alec.

When he finally reaches the restaurant, he opens up his wallet and allows himself a few minutes just to look at a picture he has of Patty and Alec when he was younger.

His wife and his son, his entire world.

If there’s one thing he knows now it’s that he won’t give up.

Won’t give into his fears of IT and everything that is going to come from facing that thing again.

He has to make it back to them.

Back to Alec and back to Patty.

IT cannot win.

They have to stop IT. One way or another.

Which is why, with a heavy sigh, Stan slides the picture back into place and puts his wallet away.

Heading out of his car and towards the restaurant to begin facing his fears all over again.

Eddie had been up first.

Neither he nor Richie had gotten much sleep and had just laid awake in each other’s arms after Richie had been allowed back in the bed. 

Richie had continued to pack a bag as Eddie had milled around, cooking breakfast whilst simultaneously shoving important things into his carry bag and three fanny packs.

They’d woken up their kids last.

Both Stan and Sara grumbled that it was ‘the butt crack of dawn’ but had argued amongst themselves all the way to the breakfast.

Due to Eddie being so organised, they were on the road in no time at all.

There had been a brief argument between Eddie and Richie as Eddie didn’t think that Richie looked in a great shape to be driving.

Richie, however, had argued that seeing as Eddie had crashed his own car that there was no way in hell that he was about to let even Eddie near the drivers seat of his beautiful red car.

Richie had won in the end when Stan had discreetly admitted that he would prefer it if Richie was driving.

Surprisingly, the journey had been rather silent, which is odd for the Kaspbrak-Tozier family.

Normally, Richie would be playing music and he, Stan and Sara would be singing along to it even though Richie cannot sing.

Richie didn’t say much at all during the journey, choosing to focus on his driving instead, which was relief to Stan after the incident only a day previous.

Eddie tried to make conversation with his kids though, engaging Stan in conversation most of the time whilst Sara played around on her phone.

“Hey.” Eddie had turned to Richie when they’d finally entered Derry, noticing how his husband’s hands had started to clench tightly around the wheel.

“Are you okay? Do you want me to drive?” 

“I’m fine Eddie spaghetti. Just... This place gives me the creeps.” He murmurs, the thoughts running through his head becoming more disjointed and unsettling by the second.

Why are they here?

Why does he feel this way?

“Don’t call me that.” Eddie grumbles, but pats Richie’s knee anyway and keeps his hand there to comfort his evidently distressed husband and himself.

Thoughts and feelings returning to his mind like they’ve never not been there.

Like he felt those things yesterday.

It just doesn’t make any sense.

None of it does.

Yet it’s clear to both Eddie and Richie that Derry is the last place they want to be in right now.

“How long as you guys going to be gone for?” Stan asks once they’re in the hotel and Eddie and Richie are planning to leave.

“Hopefully not too long.” Eddie assures his son.

“Yeah, it’s gonna be an all nighter.” Richie grins.

“No it’s not.” 

“It’s a reunion, Eds! There’s gonna be alcohol and catching up. It’s gonna last a while.” Richie points out.

“Yes well neither of us are going to be drinking that much.” Eddie states.

“That’s what he thinks.” Richie mouths to Sara who sniggers at him. 

“You two should be fine here. Keep the door locked and do not leave the room unless there’s an actual fire or something like that. Do not answer the door to anyone, I packed plenty of sandwiches so you won’t go hungry, I put the first aid kid on the table over there and keep your phones on at all times. Your father and I will be in touch to make sure you two are okay and I want you both to message us to let us know that everything’s going okay. If anything happens, anything at all call me straight away, okay?” Eddie looks between his two children.

“Of course.”

“Sure.” Stan and Sara nod in agreement.

“We’ll always have our phones on so if you need us or just get bored, send us a message.” Richie adds, accepting a hug from Sara.

“We’ll try to be back as soon as we can.” Eddie continues as he hugs his son.

“Try not to kill each other.” Richie eyes both Sara and Stan.

“Behave.” Eddie chips in, heading to give Sara a hug as Stan hugs Richie.

Both Eddie and Richie not entirely certain about leaving their kids even as they start to head towards the door.

“Stan?” Eddie calls to his son.

“Yes?”

“You’re in charge.”

“Seriously?” Sara rolls her eyes.

“Well it was hardly going to be you, was it? On what planet would it have been you?” Stan retorts.

“Oh shut up!” Sara groans and both Richie and Eddie leave with faint smiles on their faces.

They wouldn’t trade their family for anything in the universe.

“I don’t like this, man.” Richie admits once they’re headed for the restaurant.

“I know you don’t, honey, but we’re just going to go and see friends. Friends we’ve know...”

“Friends we’ve forgotten for some crazy reason. I’m seeing... I’m remembering their names and I can faintly see them in my head but I don’t get how we could’ve forgotten them? We cared about these idiots. Hell, we fucking loved these idiots and yet we have no memory of them whatsoever? That’s fucked dude, that’s really fucked up.” Richie declares.

“You’re not wrong.” Eddie admits, before glancing at Richie.

“I’m seeing stuff too. Stuff I’m remembering that I don’t really completely understand why I even forgot it in the first place. Things about this place.” Eddie is just as unsettled as Richie at this point.

“What. What are you seeing? Anything...” Eddie isn’t really sure what to say. 

“Doesn’t matter.” Richie shakes his head as he brings the car to a definite stop outside of the restaurant.

“This the place?” He glances out of the window briefly.

“Yeah, this is it.” Eddie nods, glancing down at the instructions Mike had forwarded to both him and Richie.

“Well, we better get our asses in there then.” Richie pushes the door open, Eddie copying him.

“Come on.” Eddie reaches for Richie’s hand, but Richie moves out of his reach and starts to take large strides towards the restaurant. 

They’re not even there for an hour before Georgie starts to feel a little restless.

He’s not used to staying put in a random place for too long, he’s curious.

He wants to learn about the place that they’re in.

The town his parents grew up in.

It’s all incredibly fascinating to Georgie, even though it confuses him greatly as to why this the first time he and Mia are hearing about this.

“I’m going to go and have a look around. Maybe find some snacks for us?” Georgie starts off towards the door.

“We’ve got food here and papa told us to get room service if we got hungry. We’re not supposed to leave the room.” Mia points out.

“I know, but we’ve been stuck in that car for hours and I just want to walk around the hotel. I’m not going to start exploring Derry or anything.” Georgie gives her a reassuring smile.

“I think I’m gonna stay here.” Mia is a little uneasy about the prospect of going against her parents wishes.

Especially considering the fact that she just doesn’t feel comfortable as it is.

“I really don’t think we should just leave after what our parents said.”

“They don’t have to know, Mia and they won’t. They won’t know, not unless you snitch which I know you won’t because you’re the best sister in the world.” Georgie gives his sister a quick hug, draping a blanket over her legs before practically skipping towards the door.

“Georgie, I don’t like this!” Mia calls to him.

“I’ll be okay, don’t worry. It’s just a hotel, Mia. What’s the worst that could happen?” 

Updating her twitter status, Wanda places her phone down for the first time in the hour since her parents left.

Glancing around at the room she’s in, Wanda stretches out before sliding off the bed, placing her phone in the pocket of her fluffy red cardigan before heading off to the bathroom.

Turning on the tap to wash her hands, Wanda glances at her reflection in the small mirror across from her.

Wondering if she should take off her make up whilst she’s here.

Not particularly interested in updating her instagram as she doesn’t have good enough lighting for a selfie. 

Turning off the tap, Wanda turns to go back to her room where her makeup bag is.

“Marsh.” She hears someone whisper suddenly.

Spinning around quickly, Wanda trembles as she looks for the source of the voice.

Wondering if somehow someone’s gotten into the bathroom.

There’s no one when she turns around though, no one at all.

Grabbing the door handle, Wanda quickly opens it and heads back into the main room, wondering briefly if she should call her mom and dad.

Don’t be stupid, Wanda. She tells herself.

She was probably hearing things.

It’s probably because it’s been a bit of an odd day, she guesses.

Maybe she just needs to take a walk.

Now, Wanda knows that her parents told her not to leave the room, but surely a quick walk around the hotel won’t hurt.

Just one walk around to clear her head.

Georgie hadn’t made it very far through the hotel before his group chat had become rather active.

Choosing to reply to his friends, Georgie had walked around with his head buried in his phone.

However, when the signal cuts out, he finds himself looking up to see if he can reactivate it somehow.

Which is when he nearly trips over the last few steps when he suddenly sees long red hair and the look of confusion on the face of a beautiful stranger.

“Your signal cut out too?” She is the first to speak and Georgie smiles.

Grateful that she had started the conversation off as despite his normal confidence he knows he would’ve been too nervous to do so himself. 

“Yeah, just happened. I’m not surprised though, this place is kinda old.” 

“I know right?” She smiles back at him then, tapping at her phone before sighing.

“I should probably head back to my room, I’ve got a book in there that I can read.” 

“I’ve got a sister I can talk to. We can survive without our phones, I think.” Georgie chuckles.

“Of course we can. I know I’m normally always glued to mine, but at least I’ve got a book. I’d be going crazy if I didn’t.” She comments.

“I wonder if I can play any of the games on my phone without a signal. Do you think you need a phone signal for Angry Birds?” Georgie frowns down at his phone.

“I don’t know, um...” 

Georgie mentally slaps himself for not introducing himself first.

“Oh, I’m Georgie. Georgie Denbrough-Hanlon.”

“Wait, Denbrough? As in...”

“Yeah, my dad’s...”

“William Denbrough, the author. That’s so cool. The book I was going back to. It’s The Attic Room. Your dad wrote it.” She beams at him.

“You like it?” Georgie holds his breath, expecting for her to tell him that she dislikes it, like most other people his age does.

“It’s amazing. I haven’t finished it, but it’s insane. Honestly, please tell your dad that it’s so good. One of the better books I’ve read.” She surprises him with her answer.

“Everyone always tells me that they hate the ending.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that no one likes the ending. I’ll be sure to make my own mind up about it, but honestly? I don’t get why everyone’s so critical. He wrote it the way he wanted to. Can’t argue with that.”

“Exactly! Thank you.” Georgie grins.

“I’m Wanda Hanscom-Marsh.” She introduces herself, extending a hand towards him which Georgie quickly takes.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Georgie!”

“Okay, I’m bored. I’m gonna take a look around.” Sara jumps down off of the bed, straightening her glasses before heading towards the door.

She loves her dad’s she does and she respects them more than anyone, but staying in a hotel room with her brother for what she can tell is going to be several hours more isn’t exactly ideal for her.

She’s restless, wants to explore.

There’s not much more she can do in a hotel room where she’s just lost phone signal.

“Sara you can’t leave. Papa told us to stay right here.” Stan points out from where he is sat on his bed.

“I love our father’s dearly, but it’s just a hotel. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“I don’t care what could or couldn’t happen, we were told to stay here. We should to as we’re told.” Stan retorts.

“Come on, live a little. You can’t tell me that you honestly want to stay cooped up in here all night long.”

“I want to follow the rules we’ve been given.” 

“They don’t have to know that we even left the room. Oh you are such a square. I’m out!” Sara unlocks the door and departs the room with her hands held above her head.

“Sara!” Stan immediately calls after her.

“Sara, get back here! You’re gonna get in deep shit!” Stan growls before getting to his feet.

He knows that the last thing he should be doing is leaving the room, but he has to find Sara.

He was left in charge and he’s going to take that role seriously seeing as he actually wants to respect his parents wishes.

Especially after doing some of his own research on Derry.

Something that he’s been doing since his father’s left to go out.

Turns out Derry is one crazy place and disasters which end in people either going missing or getting horribly killed seem to happen too often for Stan’s liking.

Which is one of the reasons why Stan does not want his sister going off on her own.

“Sara!” He growls, shoving his phone into his pocket before marching out of the door.

Shuddering to himself when he does so because he knows that he’s just broken the rule that both his father’s had given him. 

Yet, his papa also told him that he was in charge, which means that he needs to find Sara.

After searching through the various corridors of the hotel, Stan begins to curse himself for not going after Sara the second she left the room.

The thought that she could have actually left the hotel terrifies Stan, especially after what he’s read about the town of Derry.

Why the shit did his father’s have to come back here?

Whoever these ‘friends’ of theirs are, Stan hopes that they’re worth it!

It worries him that his parents don’t remember that they were from here or the friends that they are headed to meet.

It’s one of the reasons why he did research into Derry.

After searching through the possible medical reasons for his father’s’ memory loss, Stan had wondered if their apparent amnesia had been due to something traumatic happening to them when they were younger, which is something he had also read up on.

It had scared him when he’d read some of the things that have happened to the people of this town.

Things he plans to ask his dad and papa.

Sighing as he starts to walk down the stairs, he pulls out his mobile to actually call Sara.

“Shit.” He grumbles when he realises that there’s no phone service.

Not only can he not call Sara, but he can’t call his parents if somethings wrong and they won’t be able to contact him...

“Fuck!” He holds his phone up, wondering if somehow that will help recover the lost signal.

“We’re having the same problem.” One of the two people that appear his age call to him from where they are sat on the bottom step of the staircase.

“It kinda sucks.” The redheaded girl nods.

“Want to join the no phone signal party?” 

Stan gives them both a polite smile.

“I shouldn’t. I need to find my annoying sister who’s actually fucking vanished and who I can’t even call to find now.” He grumbles, cursing Sara out in his mind.

“Well, I’m not sure when we’re going to get a signal again, so why don’t you wait here for her? She’s gotta come this way if she wants to go up.” The boy points out.

“Didn’t you see her coming down?” Stan queries.

“Nope.” The girl shakes her head.

“That is so typical of my sister. She probably used the fire escape or something just to avoid me in case I came out looking for her. I’m just trying to look out for her, our parents left me in charge and we’re not supposed to leave our room.” Stan finds himself grumbling.

“Neither were we.” The boy reveals.

“Georgie.” He holds out a hand.

“Georgie Denbrough-Hanlon.”

Deciding that he’s probably better off waiting for Sara here, Stan sighs and figures there’s no harm in talking to two people that look his age so he sits down.

“Stan Kaspbrak.” He shakes Georgie’s hand.”

“I’m Wanda Hanscom-Marsh.” The girl extends a hand towards him too when he’s finished shaking Georgie’s.

“Welcome to the no signal party!”

Smiling to himself as he sends what he believes to be one of the more amusing memes that has come out recently to his friends that he’d sent to his dad nearly over an hour ago. Alec leans back on his bed.

He’d sent the meme as a way of checking if his father was okay without actually asking the question.

Thankfully, he’d gotten a reply and therefore conformation that his dad had safely reached the restaurant in one piece.

After that, Alec had felt a lot more relaxed and had spent some time catching up on the latest Richie Trashmouth Tozier clips and sending memes to his group chat.

It was only when he received a message from his mom that he figured that he should try and call her.

To say goodnight and just to talk to his mom. 

He had just been about ready to call when the signal in his phone went out.

“Damn it!” Alec grumbles, running his fingers through his dark curls before hopping off the bed.

The last thing he wanted to do was go against his dad’s wishes, but he really wants to call his mom and wish her a goodnight and besides. Alec muses to himself.

He’d only be going into the corridor to see if he could get a phone signal, he wouldn’t even stray that far from his room.

Heading to the bag he packed, Alec pulls out his favourite pair of flip flops and his ‘weapon’ which he shoves into the back pocket of his cropped trousers.

Straightening his white shirt, Alec squeezes his phone tightly and heads straight out of the door.

He is immediately conscious of the spray bottle he has shoved in his back pocket, but reminds himself that there’s probably no one around to see it and ask questions, so he just heads down the corridor and peers down at his phone to check if he’s regained a signal or not.

Mia awakens with a start after a particularly disturbing dream.

Sitting up in the unfamiliar bed, she looks around the pitch black room.

The only source of light being a pair of yellow dots in the darkness that move when she does.

Mia hastily pats around for the lamp on the beside table and switches it on the second her fingers hover over the switch.

Jumping a little when the two yellow dots disappear.

Shaking and scanning the room for anything that shouldn’t be there, Mia scrambles out of bed, grabbing her silk robe from her bag to warm herself up before heading towards the door.

Now, Mia knows that she shouldn’t leave the room. 

That it’s not a good idea and that her parents will be upset if they find out, but this place is kinda freaking her out and she needs to find Georgie.

She needs her brother.

Which is why, she is quick to head into the corridor, practically jogging along it.

“Georgie?” She whispers as she scans the corridor for any sign of her brother.

“Georgie?” She calls again, her jog becoming a slow run as her mind starts to race.

“Careful.” Someone unknown to her grabs her arms quickly before she call fall down the stairs.

Looking up, Mia is met with gentle eyes and a warm smile.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah. Yes. I was uhh...” Mia realises that she’s still holding onto the strangers arms and quickly lets go before looking down at her feet.

“Looking for my brother. Maybe I should just call...” Mia pats the pockets of her silk robe and realises that she hasn’t even got her phone with her.

“Yeah, there isn’t a signal in the hotel I don’t think, I’ve been trying to call my mom and I haven’t had much luck, so that might be difficult.” The stranger informs her.

“Oh.” Mia bites her lip anxiously.

“I could help you find your brother if you want. I’m sure he can’t have gotten that far in this place.” He offers, the warm smile returning.

“I’m Alec. Alec Uris.”

“Mia Denbrough-Hanlon.” Mia replies with a slight smile of her own.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mia.”

“You too.” Mia nods, deciding to look at her feet again, tapping one of her feet anxiously as she clenches her hands together.

“Are you okay? You look a little...”

“I’m fine.” She says quickly.

“You sure?” Alec tilts his head to the side.

“I’m just a bit nervous, being in this place away from home. I’ve never been to Derry before.” She starts quietly.

“Neither have I. I came with my dad.” Alec responds.

“My parents told me and my brother, Georgie to stay in our room but Georgie wanted to go and have a look around. I fell asleep soon after he left and when I woke up he still wasn’t there and...” Mia trails off.

She’s not about to tell the person she’s just met, one of the only people that looks her age and is seemingly willing to talk to her that she woke up after having a bad dream and thought she saw two eerie yellow lights in the darkness.

No way.

“It’s just weird, being in a new place, especially seeing as I was alone.”

“That’s understandable.” Alec nods.

“I’m looking forward to being able to talking with my mom when I get a phone signal back, but until then. I will help you find your brother if you want me to?”

“Okay.” Mia chooses to accept his offer the second time around.

Not seeing any reason not to.

There’s something about him that Mia can’t quite explain, but she knows that she can probably trust him.

“Okay, yeah sure! Come on.” Alec leads the way down the stairs, yet Mia pauses after only taking a step.

“What’s with the uh...” Mia gestures to the spray bottle sticking out of Alec’s back pocket.

“Spray bottle?”

“You know what.” He spins around to face her with a smile.

“I completely forgot that was there.”

“How did you forgot something like that was there?” Mia frowns.

“I have a greenhouse at home. I keep a lot of plants, too many plants. I mean, there can never be too many plants. I have a healthy amount of plants.” Alec pauses for a moment.

“I have to maintain them daily and I just stick that spray bottle in my pocket and just completely forget it’s their half the time.”

“That actually makes sense.” Mia remarks to another smile from Alec.

“That sounds really cool, having your greenhouse. I bet it’s really beautiful.”

“Thank you. I do my best.” Alec replies, pulling out his phone.

“I’ve got some really beautiful plants growing at the moment, plants, flowers. It’s going really well. Better than I had hoped from a homemade greenhouse.” He pulls up the folder in his pictures that contain images of the planets he has taken photos of so that he can show them to Mia.

“Wow, they’re beautiful.” Mia smiles at the sight of the various plants and flowers Alec shows her.

“That’s amazing.”

“Thanks.” Alec beams.

The two smile at each other for a moment.

“I need to find my brother.” Mia shakes her head and tucks her hair behind her ears.

“Sure, yeah.” Alec nods, leading the way downstairs.

Pausing when they turn a corner and see three teens sitting on the bottom step.

“Georgie?” Mia calls, surprising Alec a little.

“Hey, Mia. Guys, this is my sister.” Georgie smiles at the people next to him before noticing Alec.

“Who’s...”

“I’m Alec Uris. I was trying to call my mom when I bumped into your sister.”

“We were going to start looking for you.” Mia explains.

“Have I really been gone that long? Oh, Mia. I’m so sorry. I just got caught up talking.” He nods to the people next to him.

“Stan Kaspbrak.” Stan extends a hand towards Alec, who leans down to shake it.

“Wanda Hanscom-Marsh.” The redhead introduces herself.

“Mia Denbrough-Hanlon.” Mia replies nervously, anxious to be around so many new people.

Georgie gives her a reassuring smile though which makes it easier for her and starts to convince her that this is okay.

“Do you guys want to join our no phone signal party?”

The second she was out of the room, Sara decided that she’d head down the fire escape so she could get some fresh air.

It would also aid in her avoiding her annoying brother if he chose to come after her, which she think he actually might seeing as he’s so insistent on following their father’s’ rules to the letter.

The cool summer air is pleasant when she finally steps outside and she practically jogs down the steps.

Pausing when she sees a figure sitting sideways on the bottom steps.

The teen can’t be much older than she is, Sara muses as she peers down at the girl with long hair that is mostly blonde, the ends of the girl’s hair though that hangs in gentle curls is a bright bubblegum blue.

She is sat with her arms wrapped around herself and the orange and red blanket she’s got wrapped around her small form. 

“Are you alright?” Sara raises an eyebrow at the teen.

“Oh!” The girl appears startled to see Sara and visually recoils

“I’m just great, thanks.”

“Why are you sitting out here? I mean, I know it ain’t great in their, but it’s a damn sight warmer.” Sara points out.

“I’m not staying here. I’m just passing through, figured I’d wait here until I have to go to catch my bus.” 

“Where you headed?” Sara sits down on the steps behind the girl.

“Don’t know. Anywhere. As far away from here as humanly fucking possible.” The girl shivers.

“I hate this stupid town so much.”

“Gotta be honest, it’s not much to look at from what I’ve seen of it.” Sara remarks.

“I just want a fresh start.”

“What did you do?” Sara raises an eyebrow at her new acquaintance.

“That’s the thing.” She sighs, a desperately sad look in her eyes.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Everyone here just... They can’t let go of the past and I don’t blame them, I don’t blame them one fucking bit, but I just wish that they could’ve tried to get to know me instead of focusing on where I came from.” She admits.

“That’s rough.” Sara comments, before glancing down at the girl.

“So, you’re running away?”

“Fuck yeah I am. Running as far away from this shithole as I can possibly get. I’d be waiting at the station already, but I’m not risking it. I’m waiting right here until it’s half an hour before, then I can just get onto to that bus and get the fuck out of dodge.” The girl replies and Sara chuckles a little at her choice of words.

“I’m in the system. Grew up in care and foster homes all my life. Hated every single second of it.” 

“Think I’d hate that too.” Sara nods, feeling a sudden surge of grateful thoughts towards the fact that she has two wonderful father’s.

“I’d finally had enough, finally snapped. I’m fifteen, I can make it on my own now. I’ve tried running away before but I’ve always been caught before I even got close to leaving. This is the furthest I’ve ever got. I’m out now, that’s it. I’m not going back there and I’m not gonna let them take me back there.” She mutters determinedly.

“Do you really have no idea where you’re going?” Sara queries.

“Nope. I’m just gonna get on the bus and get off wherever feels good.”

“Do you have any cash?” Sara enquires.

“Yeah. I’m not exactly proud of it, but I took two whole ass wallets from two assholes at the home, got enough cash for the bus and some food. It’s all good. I’m gonna take the bus, get off god knows where, get myself a job and maybe somehow everything will come together.” The girl explains.

“At least you got a plan.” Sara shrugs.

“Honestly? As long as I get out of this place. I can sort everything else out as I go.”

“You don’t have to tell me anything, but from what I can tell, you’re cool and if you do decide to tell me anything, remember that I’m not from around here, so I won’t judge. I didn’t even know this place existed until I got dragged out here by my parents, but why do you hate this place so much? What can’t the people you know let go of?” Sara decides to ask the question burning on her mind.

“The reason I grew up in care. I wasn’t exactly born in a good place and both my parents were criminals.”

“Wow.” Sara is a little taken a back, but let’s her new acquaintance continue.

“It’s not like I even met them. Apparently I happened during a riot at the place they were and apparently still are contained. I wasn’t raised by them and I certainly wasn’t allowed any contact with them, like I would if I could, but for everyone in this town? They’ve got it up their ass that if both my parents are criminals then I have to be one to.” 

“That’s fucking dumb of them.” Sara retorts.

“I know! It’s not even just that. This place is awful, the people here are so narrow minded. It’s gross. If you’re different you better watch your fucking back.”

“Yikes.” Sara winces.

“Not to mention the fact that this place is really creepy. People are going missing all the goddam time, two kids even got taken from the home and the second I heard some shit the other night that didn’t sound like good news, I just knew. I knew I had to get out of there once and for all and that’s what I’ve done. Just gotta wait for my bus and hope the cops don’t show up.”

“Well, you look pretty cold, so how about you come inside with me? Just until your bus gets close?” Sara offers.

“I don’t know...”

“Seriously, it’s okay. You can just chill with me, or you could help me prank my brother? I also got some spare clothes that are a lot warmer than what you’ve got on now.” Sara continues.

“You won’t...”

“I’m not gonna rat on you or anything. I’m not gonna call the cops. I just want to make things a little easier for you.” Sara tells her, but she still looks a little unsure, so Sara holds her hand out towards the girl.

“Sara.”

“I’m Sabrina.” Sabrina accepts the handshake.

“Okay, I’ll come in for a minute. You’re fun to talk to.” 

Sara grins in true Sara Tozier fashion.

“Hell yeah, I am!”

Heading back into the hotel with Sabrina by her side, Sara is surprised to see her brother sat on the main staircase with four other people.

“What are you doing?” Sara’s voice rings out through the room as she and Sabrina approach her brother and four other people Sara is surprised to see him talking to.

“Where the shit have you been? Fuck, Sara! Guys, meet my annoying little sister I was telling you about.” Stan introduces her to the others.

“We are the same age, asshole.” Sara argues. 

“I’m literally twelve minutes older than you.” Stan sighs.

“So? We’re still the same age.” Sara retorts.

Stan groans and buries his head into his hands.

“Sara Tozier.” She introduces herself to the rest of group and one of the boys eyes in the group widen.

“Wait, you’re... You’re the Sara Tozier? I watch your dad’s stuff all the time. He’s a legend.” He practically gushes.

“Agreed.” Sara nods.

“You’re a celebrity?” Sabrina nudges her.

“Do you not have twitter?” Sara frowns.

Most people of their age group know who she is from twitter and normally if they’ve heard of her dad then they would have heard of her.

“I don’t have a phone.” Sabrina admits.

“Oh dear god.” Sara pales at the very prospect of not having a phone.

“You’re not missing out right now, none of us have a phone signal right now. We’ve kinda become ‘the no signal party’ the girl with the long red hair chimes in.

She looks vaguely familiar to Sara, who wonders if she follows the teen on social media.

“Yo, don’t we follow each other on Instagram?” 

“Yes, I think we do. I’m...”

“Wanda Hanscom-Marsh. Yeah, holy shit we do follow each other. I like your style.” Sara remembers the name of the teen that is Insta-famous.

“Thank you.” Wanda beams.

“It’s nice to meet you in person.” Sara agrees.

“Why didn’t you tell us that your dad is the Richie Trashmouth Tozier?” Georgie nudges Stan.

“I didn’t think it was important.” Stan shrugs.

“Seriously, how is that not important? Sara, you and your’s dad’s banter on Twitter is insane. It’s so funny. Your dad’s insanely cool.” The teen who was gushing about her father earlier continues to do just that and Stan groans, burying his head in his hands.

“I like you.” Sara holds out a hand towards him.

“Alec Uris.” He goes to shake her hand.

“Who are you guys? Didn’t think I caught your names.” Sara nods towards the two that were sat near Alec and Wanda.

“I’m Georgie Denbrough-Hanlon and this is my sister Mia.” Georgie introduces them.

“Who’s this?” Stan glances up at Sabrina.

“Oh, I found her outside. Figured she could wait here until she has to head off for her bus.” Sara informs them.

“Yeah, you can both join our no phone signal party!” Georgie smiles.

“Cool.” Sara nods as she and Sabrina find a spot on the stairs near to Alec and Mia.

“It’s nice to meet you guys.” Sabrina starts.

“I’m Sabrina.” She introduces herself to them.

“Sabrina Bowers.” 

The Jade Of The Orient is quite a jolly restaurant.

Beautifully decorated with a pleasant atmosphere. 

Mike booked a large table that is in its own private part so that they could all reunite peacefully and discuss everything it is that they’ve got to discuss and catch up on.

That is where he and Bill are currently stood waiting for the others to arrive.

“They should arriving around about now.” Mike presses a kiss to the side of a nervous Bill’s head.

“Y.Y.Yeah.” Bill nods, clenching his hands into fists.

“Are you okay?” Mike queries softly.

“I’m n.n.not sure M.M.Mikey. I think. T.T.Think maybe things w.w.will b.b.be b.b.better when the o.o.others get h.h.here.” He murmurs, mentally cursing at himself for stuttering like this.

Why is this happening to him?

What’s changed?

Well...

“I hope they make it.” Mike sighs.

“I really hope they make it here.”

“They w.w.will.” Bill declares.

“Think so?” Mike smiles a little at his husband.

“An oath is an o.o.oath.” Bill manages to say without stuttering too much.

“L.L.Losers gotta stick t.t.together.” Bill finds himself saying and it just feels right.

The words feel right and for some unknown reason, Mike is beaming at him.

“Oh my god.” Mike suddenly wraps his husband up in a tight embrace.

Surprised at the sudden display affection but certainly not opposed to it, Bill hugs his husband back.

Smiling with a slight sense of relief now that Bill has shown that he is starting to remember some of the most important things that have since been long forgotten since they left Derry as kids, Mike rests his head on his husband’s shoulder, closes his eyes and just smiles.

Maybe they can get through this.

No, they can get through this. 

“E.E.Everything okay, Mikey?” Bill queries when they finally part.

“Losers gotta stick together. You remember that now.” Mike beams.

“I.I.I don’t...” Bill frowns for a second before the flashes start up again, the memories playing in his head like a movie.

“I.I.I do.” Bill looks up at him.

“T.T.The Losers.” He whispers, his thoughts becoming clearer by the minute.

Which also makes the recent argument he had had with Mike about all this become clearer too.

“Mike.” He starts, backing towards the table a little only to trip up on his own feet.

“Wow.” Mike chuckles at the return of one of the things that had made him fall in love with Bill when they were younger.

Bill’s innocent clumsiness.

“You’re definitely getting your memories back.” 

“I...”

“... And I’m allergic to soy, anything that has egg in it.” Mike and Bill’s ears are both drawn to that of someone with a familiar voice and words.

Words that bring back so many hilarious and happy memories for Bill and just pure old nostalgia for Mike as a short man with a teal polo shirt and a burgundy jacket walks towards their sector as he speaks with a waitress.

“Ehh, gluten and if I eat I could realistically die...” The man trails off as he finally lays eyes on Mike and Bill.

“Holy shit.” Eddie Kaspbrak exclaims.

Standing at the entrance to the Jade Of The Orient, too anxious to enter it just yet, Stan peers down at his phone.

Smiling a little when he sees a message from Alec.

Sure, it’s a meme that weirdly features Richie Tozier, but it makes Stan smile anyway. 

Sending a quick message to tell Alec that he made it to the restaurant in one piece and that he loves him, Stan sends another message to Patty, telling her that both he and Alec are settled, all is well and that they both miss her and love her.

That he misses his babylove.

Smiling down at his phone when Patty is quick to reply with an ‘I love you too.’ Wishing them both well and telling him that she misses them so much already.

Pocketing his phone, Stan looks at his shoes for a nervous minute before deciding to take a peek at the night sky.

It’s only then that he notices someone walking towards him.

A man with dark curly hair, an untidy shirt under a leather jacket and big glasses.

For a few brief seconds it is suddenly daylight.

It’s summer.

It’s 1989 and a loud mouthed Richie Tozier is walking towards him in a baggy Hawaiian shirt and glasses too big for his face.

“Richie.” Stan finally manages to get a word out when the initial shock somewhat subsides.

Reality taking centre stage again as the man in front of him frowns at him.

“Do I know you?” He tilts his head to the side.

“I fucking hope so.” Stan gives him a look, a look he hasn’t given them since they were kids.

“Fuck... Yeah, I do. You’re... Stan.” Richie nods.

“Stanley Urine.”

“For fucks... Seriously? Richie?!?” Stan deadpans, sighing in familiar annoyance he hasn’t felt in years.

“Stanley Uris.” Richie corrects himself with a grin.

“Stan. Staniel. Stanthony!”

“Shut up, Richie.” Stanley starts to shake his head.

“Stan.” Richie smiles warmly then.

“I hate you.” Stanley grumbles, a moment of silence passing between them before Stanley and Richie both start to beam at each other.

“Stan, come here, man!” Richie closes the gap between them and wraps his arms tightly around his old friend who he hasn’t seen in over twenty seven years.

It feels like yesterday now though.

He looks exactly the same.

Almost as if he’s just grown into his age.

Richie always thought Stan acted like an old person. 

From only five minutes of being reunited with him he guesses that, that probably hasn’t changed.

Hugging Richie, Stan is suddenly overwhelmed with memories.

Memories of despairing at his friend, memories that remind him of how close he and Richie used to be.

One faint memory that suddenly takes hold of his entire mind.

He was crying, he was traumatised after something that fucking clown did to him and he suddenly felt as if he couldn’t trust his friends, that they didn’t care. 

He remembers them trying to comfort him now and he remembers Richie sitting by his side whispering in the most gentle voice.

‘We would never let anything happen to you Stanley.’ 

“How fucking long has it been?” Richie’s voice pulls him out of the memory, but there are tears in Stan’s eyes and he holds on tightly to Richie for a few more moments, before pulling away.

“You crying on me Stan? What the fuck, dude?” Richie cackles in typical Richie fashion.

“Fuck you, Richie.” Stan sniffs, but can’t stop the smile that breaks out across his face.

“Fuck you too, man. Shit, how long’s it been?” 

“Too fucking long, Richie.” Stan retorts.

“You’re telling me, you got. You’re weirdly hot now, how the fuck did that happen? How did the literal definition of a grandma end up hotter than me?”

“Hey, you. You grew into your looks.” Stan parrots the words of one of the other Losers’. 

“I did? I don’t know about that Stan the man. I probably look the worst out of all you guys.” Richie snorts as Stan wipes away his tears to quickly glance at his phone which had started buzzing.

Smiling briefly at the new incredibly reassuring message from Alec. 

“Is that a meme I see before me, Stanthony?” Richie peers at the earlier message on the phone.

“Wait is that the meme about me? That hasn’t come back has it? Everyone keeps telling me about this stupid fucking meme about me not being able to stand properly at award shows.” Richie shakes his head in mild frustration as Stan chuckles.

“My son sends them to me, I don’t get them half the time, but you know, it’s nice to have a son that messages me.” He shrugs.

“I get that, my kid sends me vines. My daughter Sara recreated one. Hilarious, I think it was the eat ass, smoke grass, sledge fast one? When the principle showed us the footage, I lost it man. I had tears, literal tears in my eyes.” Richie is cackling, but Stan is too busy trying to get his head around the fact that Richie Trashmouth Tozier has a kid.

“You have a kid? Spare us all, how the fuck did that happen?!” Stan nudges Richie with wide eyes. 

Richie isn’t able to respond though, as he is interrupted by another familiar face. 

“I can’t believe you’re still telling that story like that! Sara got suspended for that, asshole! Two whole weeks of her education, gone!” 

Stan looks at the shorter man approaching them with wide eyes.

Short, wearing a polo shirt, fanny pack and full of rage? 

It’s Eddie Kaspbrak.

“Shit.” Eddie stops dead in his tracks, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.

“Stanley.”

“Eddie.” Stan smiles before crossing the space between them to embrace his old friend.

“Holy fuck dude! What’s it been? Nearly thirty years? How the fuck did we... You know what? I don’t even want to think about that right now. It’s good to see you.” Eddie hugs Stan tightly.

“So, Richie has a kid. Richie, probably the last person who should have had a kid.” Stan teases and Richie gives him a playful glare.

“Fuck you, Stanthony, I have two kids actually.”

“And you. You knew about it?” Stan finds himself continuing that topic of conversation as he stares at Eddie.

“You two didn’t forget each other? How?” Stan looks between them.

“Well.” Eddie scratches his head.

“That’s a story.” Richie looks down at his feet, as it suddenly dawns on Stan.

“Fuck... You two? You two...” Stan indicates between the two of them.

“You didn’t.. Holy shit, you two actually got your heads out of asses and realised that what you’ve actually been doing the whole time we were kids was flirting?! Oh fucking finally! You two got your shit together! I knew it. I fucking knew it!” Stan grins at them both, frowning when he watches Richie visually relax.

Almost as if Richie was afraid of something.

“Yeah, don’t know how I’ve done it, but I’ve been married to that fucknut for the past, how longs it fucking been, Rich?” Eddie glances at his husband.

“Eddie, my love. I’m offended you can’t remember how long we’ve been married.” Richie places a hand to his chest in mock offence.

“Of course I remember how long we’ve been married asshole.” Eddie grumbles as Stan just rolls his eyes at them as he used to twenty seven years ago.

Nothings changed at all.

Eddie and Richie are still head over heels for each other, but this time at least they’re aware of it.

“And you guys have two kids? Honestly, I feel better now that I know that they’re Eddie’s kids too.” Stan smiles at Eddie, who immediately smirks back.

“What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?” Richie gives Stan a look.

“Don’t worry about it, honey.” Eddie pats Richie’s shoulder.

“I’m going in, gotta sort out some of my food allergies and all that. It’s so good to see you again, Stanley.” Eddie squeezes Stan’s arm in passing.

“Message our kids, Rich.” He calls to Richie before disappearing inside the restaurant.

“Yeah, I should probably do that. Sara and...” Richie trails off when it hits him.

His son.

He named his son Stan.

Stan as in after...

“Wow, yeah. I gotta message my kids, I’ll be right back.” Richie rests a hand against Stan’s arm before jogging back to his car.

Stan finds himself rolling his eyes after Richie’s departure.

Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak.

How could he have ever have forgotten them?

Especially Richie, Richie was like his closest friend.

He was the only one there at the Bar...

“Stanley?” A familiar voice pulls Stan from his thoughts.

Looking up, Stan’s jaw nearly hits the floor at the sight of a woman with short red hair that could only be Beverly Marsh.

However, the man next to her is someone he doesn’t remember, he feels like he should though.

“Stan?” She whispers with tears in her eyes.

“Beverly...” Stan is cut off by Beverly practically throwing herself into his arms.

“Ohh my god. Ohh my god you’re here, you’re okay. Stan...” She whispers and despite being over the moon to see her, her words worry him a little.

Why wouldn’t he be here?

Of course, there was a definite possibility that he wasn’t going to be here because he was going to...

She doesn’t know that though, right?

How could she know about that?

“Beverly. It’s been way too long.” Stan holds her close, before pulling away.

“You okay?”

“I am now, ohh thank god.” She whispers, her words only worrying Stan more, who chooses to focus on the person standing behind Beverly.

“I feel like I know you, which is why I feel bad for asking this, but who...”

“The new kid?” 

Stan’s jaw nearly hits the floor.

Ben Hanscom?

His small, cheerful friend, Ben Hanscom?! 

“Ben?!” 

“Yeah.” Ben nods with a beaming smile.

Stan grins as he walks forward, pulling Ben into a tight embrace.

“Oh, it’s been too long!” Ben beams as he hugs Stan tightly.

“You’re damn right it’s been too long.” Beverly sniffs as she beams at both Ben and Stan.

Overjoyed to see Stan here with them.

He made it, her dream...

He’s okay...

“Wow, you guys look amazing.” Ben and Beverly turn to face the man stood to the side of them all.

“What the fuck happened to me?” 

Beverly and Ben’s eyes widen immediately as they recognise their friend.

Richie. 

Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier.

Beverly immediately has a million and one questions about how Richie ended up becoming a celebrity and winning the Man of Style award despite his appalling sense of fashion, but settles for just beaming at her old friend who there’s no way in hell she should have forgotten.

“Hey, man!” Ben grins at him as if he’d only seen Richie yesterday instead of nearly twenty seven years ago.

Immediately opening his arms up for a hug.

“Richie.” Richie says quickly in case Ben’s forgotten his name, because he certainly cannot believe that this man in front of him that looks like some kinda Greek god is his friend Ben Hanscom.

“Yeah, it’s Ben!” Ben pulls Richie into a big hug, laughing as he holds his friend close.

Richie smiles warmly as he hugs Ben.

His smile only growing when he turns to greet Beverly.

“Hey.” He beams as Beverly envelopes her old friend in the most gentle hug.

Now, Richie doesn’t know what the fuck is going on, but he’s got Stan Uris, Beverly Marsh and Ben Hanscom back in his life.

All he’s felt since returning to Derry is fear.

Pure, inescapable fear.

Yet for the first time since returning to Derry, Richie feels something different.

He feels an overwhelming sense of pure relief.

Entering the restaurant together, Richie’s eyes nearly burst out of his skull when he sees that Eddie is talking to Bill Denbrough and Mike Hanlon.

The shock fades however, when Richie eyes a gong near the entrance to their part of the restaurant.

“Richie.” Stan starts, noticing the familiar wicked glint in Richie’s eyes.

“Richie, don’t you fucking...”

Richie rings the gong.

“For fucks sake.” Stan rolls his eyes as Ben and Beverly just shake their heads at him as Eddie, Mike and Bill all turn around immediately.

“This meeting of the Losers Club has officially begun.” Richie declares.

Eddie can only just laugh as Bill and Mike stare at Stan, Beverly and Ben.

“Look at these guys!” Eddie chuckles as Richie starts to point at Ben from behind him and Beverly and mouths ‘Ben.’ Before making several hand gestures until Ben glances at him and Richie just grins.

“Bill...” Stan whispers upon seeing the familiar face of another one of his oldest friends as Beverly and Ben practically pounce on Mike and Eddie.

“S.S.Stanley.” Bill stutters, a warm, nearly tearful look appearing in his eyes.

“Bill.” Stanley finds himself nearly crying again as he and Bill jog across the room, meeting each other in the middle and falling into an embrace.

“Stan.” Bill whispers as he holds onto the friend he never should have been allowed to forget as tightly as he can.

“Oh shit.” Stanley is pretty much crying as he holds on to Bill. 

“H.H.How have you b.b.been?” Bill smiles a little when he eventually pulls away.

“I don’t know.” Stan sniffs.

“Stan the man!” Mike practically cheers from behind him.

“Mike!” Stan turns and allows himself to be embraced tightly by Mike.

“Hey, Rich.” Bill grabs Richie’s arm and pulls his friend into a hug.

“If it isn’t my old friend, Billiam! How you doing Big Bill?” Richie practically cackles as he hugs Bill tight.

“Hey.” A soft voice and a tap on his shoulder, alerts Bill to Beverly Marsh.

“Beverly.” Bill whispers, before releasing Richie so that he can pull Beverly into a warm hug.

“Bill.” The familiar voice of Ben Hanscom also fills his ears, as Ben just decides to join Bill and Beverly’s embrace.

As whilst his feelings of care and love return for Bill, so does his slight jealous streak that came from the fact that Beverly and Bill were so close as kids.

Something he hasn’t thought about in years.

“Eds!” Beverly breaks away from Bill and Ben’s hug to grab a hold of Eddie Kaspbrak. 

“This is insane.” Bill whispers as he finds himself embracing Stan again.

“I know right?” Stan sniffs, tears now fully streaming down his cheeks.

They’re all back together now.

All seven of them.

The Losers Club.

“Can we get the drinks going?” Richie interrupts the warm and touching reunion.

“We’re going to be drinking responsibly, Rich...” Eddie starts off quietly after hugging Ben.

“Oh fuck that.” Richie snorts.

“Welcome back to the Loser’s Club, assholes!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry for this talking so long to update. University & life in general has just been kicking me down & I just haven’t had the time. I have several deadlines for university next month so it may be awhile before another update happens as well. Thank you all so much for reading this, I honestly cannot believe that people actually enjoy this abomination, again I apologise for this. Thanks again & I’ll try & update when I can.


	6. Jade Of The Orient

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The seven Losers reunite & Pennywise strikes.

I don’t own anything.

The seven Losers cheer as their shot glasses meet in the middle with a ‘clink’.

Bill, Mike, Beverly, Eddie, Stan and Ben all finish their shots normally.

Richie lifts his with his mouth and knocks it back that way, spitting the glass out onto the table.

“That’s so gross, Rich.” Eddie buries his head in his hands.

“So wait, Stanley you got married?!” Richie practically cackles in response to Stan starting to tell the Losers about his wife when Beverly had noticed his wedding ring before the drinks had arrived.

“And?” Stanley raises an eyebrow at him, a slightly annoyed look in his eyes.

“How?”

Stanley glares at Richie.

“Ignore him.” Eddie nudges him.

“Oh don’t worry, that was my plan.” Stanley gives Richie a disappointed look.

“Did you adopt?” Richie queries.

“Do I even want to know why you just asked me that?” 

“Honestly, it’s a genuine question. Didn’t you adopt like thirty birds back when we were kids?” Richie replies.

“I did to that, yes, that’s right, but no. I did not adopt my son. I had my son with my wife and her name is Patty.” Stanley reveals.

“She hot?” Richie queries which is when both Stan and Eddie give him a ‘why are you like this’ look. 

“Yes, Richie. She is hot.” Stan says with a smile and it feels like another weight is lifted off his chest.

Remembering the conversation he’d had with Richie about that damned painting when they were kids.

Saying now that he has a wife and that she’s beautiful almost feels as if it helps erase the memory of that, the painting, because when it comes to Patty, that is the only time in his life he’s been confident in himself.

He didn’t cower away from her, he put himself out there and married the woman he loved. 

He fought back against all his anxieties to do so and now he’s happy.

“That’s great, man. Congratulations.” Mike beams at him.

“Y.Y.You must i.i.introduce her to us s.s.sometime.” Bill adds.

“Oh I will, once I’ve explained all of this to her, I will. I think you’ll really like her and besides, it’s always good to have someone else to help us shut Richie up.”

“Oh, fuck you Staniel!”

Stan just smirks.

“Have you got a picture of her?” Beverly smiles at him.

“Yes, I do.” Stan picks up his phone and turns his it around to show the Losers his lockscreen, which is a picture of Patty and Alec.

“Awww.” The Losers chorus simultaneously.

“Alright, she is hot.” Richie remarks.

“Why, dude? Why.” Eddie shakes his head at his husband, who is in the process of pouring himself another drink.

“I.I.Is that y.y.you’re son?” Bill queries softly.

“Yeah, that’s Alec.” Stan grins.

“How old is he?” Ben smiles over at him.

“Fifteen, he’ll be sixteen soon. He’s a great kid. Always so kind and polite. Sometimes I think he thinks he’s on a one man mission to achieve world peace or rid the world of pollution or something. He literally built a greenhouse in our home to protect some plants he found.” Stan gushes about Alec with a warm smile.

“He sounds just like his father.” Beverly adds.

“Oh god, another Stanley. Couldn’t imagine it.” Richie snorts.

“No, we’re not that alike. He’s a lot braver than me for starters. More adventurous for sure. He gets that from his mom.” Stan replies with a light laugh, flat out ignoring Richie until he finally turns to him and gives him another look. 

“We’re also not like that alike, because unlike myself, Alec finds Richie’s jokes funny.” 

“Wait, your son watches my show?” Richie gives Stan a shit eating grin.

“Unfortunately.” Stan sighs.

“Wow, your kid’s got taste!” Richie remarks as he downs his drink in one.

‘Definitely not’ Stan mouths to the other Losers, who all chuckle in response.

“Well, I think I can say for all of us that we’d love to meet him one day.” Mike beams.

“Can’t wait for you guys to meet my daughter as well.” Ben adds whilst sipping his drink, smiling softly at Beverly.

“Wait... You have a kid?” Eddie nearly drops his bottle there and then.

“Yeah, our daughter, Wanda is fifteen.” Beverly smiles at the Losers.

Richie nearly chokes on his drink.

“HOLY SHIT!” Eddie exclaims.

“Gotta admit, I didn’t see that coming.” Stan takes a sip from his glass.

“T.T.That’s great guys, I’m h.h.happy for you.” Bill smiles. 

“Ben, congrats, man! You finally grew a pair along with everything else huh?” Richie wipes his mouth with his hand.

Ben just groans.

Wondering if it’s at all possible to hide under the table.

“Bev made the first move, didn’t she?” Stan guesses.

“Of course she did. There’s no way Ben here made the first move.” Richie smirks.

“Hey, hey let’s not make assumptions. It could have gone either way.” Mike raises his hands.

“No, they’re right. Bev made the first move.” Ben glances down at his food.

“And no one’s surprised.”

“Beep Beep, dickwad.” Eddie bends a little so he can kick Richie under the table.

“H.H.How did you guys f.f.find each other?” Bill queries.

“We didn’t. Bev and I left Derry together.” Ben replies.

“Yeah, I went with him to that summer program he applied to. Sure I’m still not a wiz at architecture, but I thought it would be fun and I did enjoy it.” Beverly admits, before sighing fondly.

“I also didn’t want to go somewhere new where none of my friends were and have to try and make new friends, so it all worked out for the best, because I’ve been with Ben ever since.” Beverly beams at Ben, who grins back at her lovingly.

“Ben kept making me these little wooden trinkets...”

“Oh god.” Ben face palms the table at the memory and because he can already picture the look on Richie’s face as he can already hear him cackling.

“So, how long have you two been married?” Mike starts before Richie can say something.

“We’re not. We’re not married.” Ben reveals.

“We don’t need a piece of paper to prove how much we love each other.” Beverly leans over the table to grab Ben’s hand briefly.

“That’s adorable.” Richie tilts his head to the side.

“That better not be sarcasm, Tozier.” Beverly gives him a look.

“Of course not.”

“That’s Wanda.” Ben shows the Losers the picture of her on his phone.

One where she is sat on the couch reading a book.

“Wait, is that one of Bill’s books?” Mike is the first to spot Bill’s name on the book in the picture.

“Wow, that kid has no taste, what’s she reading that for? Eds didn’t you say those books were the most depressing shit you’ve ever read?” Richie snorts.

“Beep fucking Beep Richie!” Eddie glares at him.

“Don’t listen to him. She loves your books, Bill.” Beverly rests a hand on his shoulder and Bill beams.

“Yeah, she wants to become a writer because of you.” Ben adds with a smile of his own.

“Guys.” Bill doesn’t even know what to say.

“Beverly’s right. Don’t listen to Richie or Eddie for that matter, I love your books too. So does my wife.” Stan adds.

“T.T.Thank guys. It means a l.l.lot” 

“So who’s the poor unfortunate soul that has to pretend to like your books, Billiam?” Richie points towards Bill’s wedding ring.

“They’re not that bad.” Mike sighs.

“N.N.Not that b.b.bad?” Bill raises an eyebrow at his husband.

“You know how I feel about the endings.” Mike nudges him playfully.

“Wait. I read somewhere about Bill’s partner a few years ago. Some librarian who goes around trying to stop libraries from going out of business and shit it’s Mike!” Stanley suddenly remembers.

“Congrats, guys.” Ben nudges Mike with a beaming smile as Eddie practically snorts rice out of his nose and Richie full on spits his drink out.

“Richie you owe me fifty bucks.” Beverly holds out her hand.

“How? Oh fuck, I do. I remember! Fuck...” Richie is shaking his head.

“There was a bet?” Mike raises an eyebrow as Bill just laughs.

“Do we want to know?” Stanley raises an eyebrow at them.

“P.P.Probably not.” Bill responds, before taking Mike’s hand.

“We’ve been married since we were twenty six.” Mike announces.

“Mikey w.w.went to c.c.college with m.m.me.” Bill continues.

“Why didn’t you convince him to change the endings to any of the books?” Richie queries.

“We’ve had conversations about it, but both Bill and now our son are very stubborn about the endings being realistic.” Mike chuckles.

“So you should. Your endings are just fine.” Stanley tried to assure his friend.

“Your son?” Beverly gives Bill a gentle nudge.

“Yeah. O.O.Our son like m.m.my e.e.endings.”

“We have two kids, we’d love for you guys to meet them one day. This is Georgie and Mia.” Mike switches on his phone to show the Losers his lockscreen that is a picture of Georgie and Mia sat with Bill. 

“They’re beautiful!” Beverly gushes immediately.

“I can’t wait to meet them.” Stanley gives both Bill and Mike a warm smile.

“You named your son after your brother?” Eddie gives Bill a gentle look.

“Y.Y.Yes. I.I.It felt r.r.right t.t.to.” Bill stutters and is briefly confused as to why he’s stuttering more.

The death of his little brother Georgie has been playing on his mind ever since he got back to Derry.

For reasons he’s unsure of though, it was a tragic accident the way Georgie died.

Accident? Flashes of a memory revolving around a rainy day, a small boy in a yellow raincoat and a selfish boy who pretended to be sick fill his mind for reasons unknown.

Shaking his head, Bill takes a large mouthful of food to clear his restless mind, before he nods towards Richie.

“Alright what about you, Trashmouth, are you married?” Bill asks the question that causes Mike, Ben and Stanley to laugh simultaneously and for Beverly to chuckle.

“There’s no WAY Richie’s married!” 

“No, I got married.” Richie starts and Eddie’s eyes begin to widen.

Knowing that their friends are going to lose their entire mind when Richie tells them the truth.

“Richie, I don’t believe it.” Beverly shakes her head with a grin.

“When?” Ben smirks, knowing that this is definitely going to turn into some kind of joke.

“Wait, did you guys not hear this?”

Stanley looks down at his plate and doesn’t say anything, knowing that they’re all going to lose it when either Richie actually admits it or Eddie gets so mad that he reveals it. 

“You knew about my Man of Style award. How didn’t you know?” Richie eyes Beverly.

“Your w.w.what now?” Bill starts laughing.

“Now that’s a real thing, but I can’t remember...” Beverly tilts her head to the side.

“Yeah, I got married. Me and Eddie’s mom are very very happy right now.” Richie says with a completely straight face.

“Fucking hell!” Mike chuckles as Bill full on spits his drink back into his glass and all over his face, Beverly and Ben start losing it with laughter, Stan just rolls his eyes at him and Eddie glares at Richie. 

“Yeah, yeah, we’re very happy...”

“We totally fell for it.” Mike can barely breathe though his peels of laughter.

“Fuck you.” Eddie deadpans.

“Yes, she’s very sweet. Sometimes she’ll put her arm around me and...” Richie starts to do an impression of Jabba The Hutt to the roaring laughter of all the Losers.

“We all get it, my mom was a great big fat person. Hilarious! Hysterical!” Eddie’s voice is thick with sarcasm as the Losers continue to laugh and Eddie continues to glare.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I am married though.” Richie raises his hand and points to his wedding ring.

“Oh shit.” Mike nearly chokes on his own drink.

“Yeah, the Trashmouth is actually married.” Richie grins.

“Wait, what?!” Beverly’s eyes widen at the ring. 

“Yeah, I married this little ball of sarcasm and rage.” Richie gestures to Eddie.

Whilst he’d been nervous to admit this before, he can’t understand why he ever thought his friends would react badly now.

“NO!” Beverly is the first to react.

“SERIOUSLY?!” Mike is the next as Bill and Ben just stare at them with wide eyes.

“Oh my god.” Ben can barely speak.

“He’s actually telling the truth for once, I found out when we got here.” Stanley confirms.

“Yes, I married Richie. Not sure why.” Eddie glares at his husband.

“Because you love me, Eds!”

“I ask myself the same question every day...”

“Fuck you!” 

“I can’t believe it. That’s amazing, guys.” Ben smiles at them.

“You can’t? They literally acted like an old married couple all the time when we were kids.” Stanley shakes his head at his friends.

“They did.” Beverly nods.

“No we didn’t.” Both Eddie and Richie say at the exact same time.

“You kinda did.” Mike agrees.

“I can’t remember that.” Richie frowns.

“It’ll come back.” Stanley smiles a little.

“D.D.Do you guys have k.k.kids?” Bill asks.

“Oh god, Richie with kids. That’s not something...”

“That’s what I said.” Stanley says at the exact same time that Eddie quietly reveals.

“We have two.” 

“Oh my god.” Mike shakes his head with a grin.

“I can’t believe this.” Beverly is amazed.

“Please tell me that they both took after Eddie? That there isn’t a mini Richie running around somewhere?” Ben chuckles.

“First of all, fuck you all, I am a great father. Second, you guys needs to get out on social media more. Have none of you seen the news making banter I have on twitter with my daughter?” Richie smiles.

“Yes. Our daughter is basically a mini Richie.” Eddie sighs.

“How do you cope with two of them again?” Stanley turns to Eddie.

“Fuck you! You should all be asking me how I cope with two Eddie’s! Seeing as my son is basically a tall Eddie!” Richie snorts.

“A tall Eddie?” Ben laughs.

“Yeah, literally. My son, is basically Eddie, fanny packs and all, but literally just a bit taller than Eddie.” Richie pulls out his phone to show the Losers a picture of him sitting with Eddie, Stan and Sara.

“Oh my god, she is a mini Richie, glasses and all!” Mike remarks as Richie just smiles fondly at the picture of his kids.

“C.C.Congrats, Trashmouth. N.N.No one saw this c.c.coming, b.b.but I’m happy for you both.” Bill looks between both Eddie and Richie.

“I think I have seen some of this online, but I just. I just never clicked... I didn’t...” Beverly isn’t sure how to put it.

“You didn’t remember me.” Richie states bluntly.

Beverly doesn’t say anything.

“It’s alright. We didn’t remember you guys either. We can’t wait for you to meet Sara and Stan though, oh shit...” Eddie presses his hands to his mouth as it hits him.

Stanley manages to spit, choke on and snort his drink out though his nose all at the same time.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Stan coughs, his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets.

“Fuck... Again, I didn’t. I didn’t even. Wow.” Richie leans back in his chair.

“W.W.Wait. You named y.y.your son after...”

“Yep. We named our son after Stanthony here.” Richie laughs in complete disbelief.

“Oh my god that is so sweet.” Beverly is smiling from ear to ear.

“Richard Tozier and Edward Kaspbrak...” Stanley starts once he’s finally able to form words again, but is interrupted by Eddie.

“Holy shit, you didn’t even want to call our kid Stan at first. You wanted to call our son...”

“Stanthony Billiam Michael Bev Benjamin Tozier. I never knew why, just sounded right.”

“That’s so sweet, man. Really, that’s...” Mike doesn’t really know what to say.

“That’s adorable.” Beverly adds almost the second Ben says.

“Please tell me that isn’t your son’s full name?”

“Oh no, I oversaw the birth certificate process. I did not trust him not to name our son that.” Eddie confirms.

“You named your son after me?” Stan looks to Richie.

“Apparently yeah. Seems like you were all always in the back of my mind all the time.” Richie shrugs as Beverly rests her head against his arm.

“It makes total sense now. I mean, it’s you guys and Stan and Rich knew each other the longest.” Eddie finds himself smiling a little.

“We’re having words about this later.” Stan starts, punching Richie lightly in the arm.

“Yeah, why don’t we talk about the elephant not in the room. Ben!” Richie draws the attention back to Ben, who’s eyes immediately widen.

“What the fuck man?”

“Okay, okay obviously I lost a few pounds.” Ben sighs, having expected this to come up.

“Fuck yeah dude.” Eddie gives him a friendly nudge as Mike and Bill also congratulate him.

“Yeah, you’re like, you’re hot!” 

“That’s real.” Mike nods.

“Richard.” Eddie growls at the same time Bill raises an eyebrow at Mike, who just chuckles, squeezes Bill’s hand and presses a kiss to the side of his head as Bill rests his head on Mike’s shoulder.

“Yeah, you’re like every Brazilian soccer player all wrapped up into one person.” Richie winks at Ben with another shit eating grin.

“Richard...” Eddie practically snarls as Ben looks as if he wants to most definitely crawl under the table.

Bill starts laughing as Stanley shakes his head, Eddie glares at Richie and Beverly just gives them all disapproving looks.

“Leave him alone, you’re embarrassing him.”

“Yeah, this shit ends now.” Eddie states firmly.

“Stop flitting with my partner, Tozier.” Beverly nudges Richie in the ribs.

“Don’t worry about it, I only got eyes for my Eddie Spaghetti.” Richie beams at a still glaring Eddie.

“One dinner. That’s all I ask for.” Stanley groans and near enough facepalms the table.

“Seriously, don’t worry about a thing Bev. He might not look like much what with being five foot nothing, but mark my words, under the ugly polo shirt and the three fanny packs are actual abs!” Richie states, downing another drink.

“What the fuck?” Stanley practically buries his head in the table.

“Richard...” Eddie snarls.

“You might not believe me, but my Eds is like super hot, secretly ripped and has like a shit load of tattoos.” Richie mutters loudly into his glass.

“RICHARD TOZIER-KASPBRAK!”

“WHAT!?!” Beverly practically jumps out of her seat.

“That’s bullshit. That’s gotta be bullshit. WHAT THE FUCK EDDIE?!” Stanley loses it when Eddie discreetly nods.

“NO!” Bill, Mike and Ben scream all at the same time. 

“Yes, I have tattoos. Got the majority of them in college.” Eddie mutters, shaking his head at a sniggering Richie.

“You should’ve seen Eddie the first time he got drunk. He went feral. I lost him half way through the night and he shows up outside our dorm at five am butt naked with his fanny pack glued to his dick, two tattoos, a full face of make up, swearing his head off and being followed by a Pomeranian. Fucking hilarious.” Richie cackles, only to be hit in the head by the food Eddie flings at him.

“Didn’t you steal a horse...”

“Oh fuck.” Richie snorts and buries his head in his hands.

“I got dirt on you too, sweetheart. Don’t ever forget it.” Eddie waggles his finger at Richie.

“You have got to show me your tattoos Eddie.” Beverly laughs.

“Oh, look no further Beverly, what do you think my home screen picture is?”

“You’ve got to be fucking...” Eddie glares at Richie, who just shows Beverly his phone.

“I mean there is a whole ass folder in my camera roll dedicated to photos of...”

“I am this close. This close to confiscating your phone from you.” Eddie warns Richie as Beverly gasps, yanks Richie’s phone off of him and shows the other Losers the photo of Eddie with his tattoos on show.

“I can’t b.b.believe it.” Bill laughs.

“Oh, believe it Big Bill. Seriously, everyone got hot except me.” Richie throws his hands up.

“Says the man who got a Man of Style award.” Beverly nudges him.

“Fuck this shit no way we’re discussing this.” Richie shakes his head.

“Oh, I want to know about this.” Stanley glances up at them.

“No way, no fucking way! Mike! Quick, distract them! How’s the librarian thing working out.” Richie grasps at the first thing that pops into his head.

“It’s happening. It’s a lot of work, most places thing they don’t need libraries anymore because you can buy all the books you could ever want online or download them even these days, but libraries matter. They matter to Bill and I and I do what I can to keep as many as I come across afloat. I’ve been mainly stationed here.” Mike admits quietly and Bill glances at him, memories of their argument coming back to him.

“It’s interesting. Get to see places, it makes both Bill and I happy to see libraries being saved.”

“Yes. The libraries I’ve seen Mike save are amazing, he’s definitely done some work.” Bill replies, as he knows it wasn’t all a lie.

He’s been to some of the libraries Mike’s revived for fucks sake.

Mike just never told him that he was mainly stationed here, that he kept coming back here and that he hadn’t saved as many libraries as Bill thought.

“That’s wonderful. Really, Patty, Alec and I use our library every Sunday.” Stanley smiles.

“I’m glad you still have one. If it’s ever at risk, give us a call.”

“Sure.” Stan nods as Bill can’t help but smile.

“Mikey seems to like personalising every library he’s saved with a book stand full of my books at the entrance.” 

“Seriously? Thought you didn’t like the endings.” Richie frowns.

“I may be indifferent to the endings sometimes, but I do love my husband and I am very proud of the works he’s created.” Mike glances at Bill, who rests his head against Mike’s.

“That is so sweet. Thanks to his job, Ben built me and Wanda our home.” Beverly reveals.

“Wow, dude. That’s awesome.” Eddie nods.

“You became the architect we all knew you’d become.” Stan notes from his memories.

“Yeah, I kinda have my own company. Hanscom & Associates. It’s doing well.”

“Doing well? Holy shit, man even I’ve heard of that. That’s your company? Fuck, Ben. I’m impressed.” Richie can’t help but admit.

“Thanks, guys.” Ben blushes and looks down at his plate before at Beverly.

“Let’s not forget that Bev is a world known fashion designer.”

“Ben!” Beverly groans though a smile. 

“That’s a.a.amazing.” Bill comments.

“Do you get Ben to model your stuff?”

“Sometimes. Kinda made him internet famous for a little while. Him and Wanda when she’s modelled some of my clothes. That’s why she became Instagram famous. However, when Ben was up for the Man of Style award, he lost to a familiar comedian.” Beverly flashes Richie a look.

“You have to tell us how this happened.” Ben looks to Richie.

“Yes. W.W.We need to k.k.know.” Bill confirms.

“I don’t even know, guys. Apparently the powers at work think that me dressing like the dad I am is worthy of an award. I don’t get it either.” Richie admits.

“Yeah, his fanbase is weird.” Eddie agrees.

“No kidding, I saw one of Alec’s memes.” Stanley agrees.

“I am following you right now.” Bill pulls out his phone.

“Same here. I gotta see all this for myself.” Beverly laughs.

“My fanbase apparently thinks I’m hot. I don’t see it. It’s fucking weird. If you see that coverage from the award ceremony, you shall see an incredibly fucking tired me wearing contacts.” Richie murmurs.

“Which was kinda hilarious.” Eddie sniggers.

“Holy shit, Rich. How many followers?”

“Tell me about it. I don’t know why the internet cares so much about my husband and therefore my daughter as well. Literally, Stan and I want our privacy, we want to stay out of the limelight away from all this, but Richard here is determined...”

“Hey forgive me for wanting the internet to to know that I have fucking the best looking husband known to man and god...”

“I work in accounting!” Stan calls out to cut Richie and Eddie off before it becomes sickening.

“Wow, that’s boring.” Richie snorts.

“No, it’s not. It’s an honest, well paid job and I enjoy it.” Stanley retorts.

“What do you do, Eds? Something with medicine?” Ben guesses.

“Why would I... Oh shit, I get why you would say that seeing as I basically performed surgery on you after Bowers cut you up... Holy shit, that’s right!” The memory suddenly comes flooding back to Eddie as he grips Ben’s arm.

“Please tell me that you ended up becoming a doctor, Eds.” Beverly smiles.

“Sorry to disappoint you both, but I did not no. I ended up becoming a risk analyst.” Eddie reveals to the Losers.

“That does sound incredibly you, what does that job make you do?” Stanley enquires.

“Yes it is, so I basically work for a big insurance firm and I...” Eddie explanation to Stanley is cut off by the sound of snoring.

Snoring which is, of course, coming from Richie, who is completely lying back in his chair.

Eddie is not impressed.

Especially when Beverly, Bill, Ben, Mike all start laughing and even Stanley smirks a little whilst giving both Eddie and Richie an eye roll.

“Fuck you, dude.” Eddie glares at his husband.

“Fuck you.”

“Honey, your job was invented before fun.” Richie states 

“That’s so not funny.” Eddie retorts.

“It is funny.” Richie smiles.

“Don’t you... What the fuck are you laughing at?!” Eddie turns on a cackling Ben.

“I propose a toast.” Beverly raises her bottle.

“To the Losers.”

“Alright!” They all cheer as their glasses and bottles meet in the middle again.

Turning to Richie, Beverly grabs his arm and pulls him towards her, despite the immediate protests from Ben and Eddie only to throw food into his mouth to the relief of Ben and Eddie and to the cheers of the others.

Stanley, Richie and Bill end up having a mini food fight until Eddie stops them.

Richie drinks way more than he probably should and challenges his husband to an arm wrestle.

Yet, no one was expecting Eddie to grab Richie’s much larger hand with his small one and yell.

“LET’S TAKE OUR SHIRTS OFF AND KISS!”

“Please don’t actually do that.” Stan rose to his feet for a few seconds as Eddie and Richie wrestled.

Richie won.

“I’m not surprised.” Eddie had said in response to Richie’s victory.

“Have you seen the arms on my husband?!”

“Seriously?!” Stan deadpanned.

“Right in front of my salad?”

More food was passed around, most of which was eaten by a cheerful Bill. 

The seven Losers just eat, drink and laugh at each other.

Reminiscing on old times.

Sitting in the restaurant together, close to one another and just smiling and laughing?

It’s almost as if they’ve never been apart.

There may be no phone signal and no sign of one returning anytime soon, but neither Georgie, Mia, Wanda, Alec, Stan and Sara find themselves caring one bit.

Instead, they have taken full advantage of ‘the no signal party’ and other than mild bouts of disappointment when they couldn’t bring up an image, meme, tweet or video due to the lack of signal, they haven’t even thought about their phones at all.

Too invested in getting to know each other to care.

Georgie thrives in getting to know these people, he’s known for being incredibly sociable and is used to hanging out with large groups of people.

Talking with Wanda about his father’s book, the unfair comments made about it and writing in general along with tales of her exciting life in the world of fashion what with her mother being the world famous fashion designer, Beverly Marsh.

Sabrina, whilst spending the majority of her time laughing at Sara’s jokes also takes a great interest in Wanda’s stories about fashion.

Revealing to the group of people she’s just met that she’d actually like to be a designer one day.

That she wants to design jewellery. 

It is revealed that Stan wants to go into medicine when he’s older, which surprises no one even though they’ve only known him for such a short time as he has already proven to be very adamant about personal hygiene and gave Alec a lecture when he was telling a tale about the time he got cut on a plant he wasn’t sure was poisonous or not.

However, despite them all finding Stan a little uptight, they do find him quite hilarious and he and Mia really hit it off.

Mia spends most of the time talking to either Stan, Sabrina and Sara, but mainly Alec.

Finding Alec’s stories about his love of nature awesome.

Enjoying the many pictures of various plants and flowers he continues to show her as she talks to him about her dad’s books and her papa’s mission to save as many libraries as possible.

Alec is kind, one of the kindest people Mia has ever met.

She also talks to Stan a lot about how they both find it hard to make conversation with people and actually make friends whilst Alec asks Sara a hundred and one questions about Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier. 

They find that they’re all very different people.

Something they realise must be a good thing as they are all really enjoying the company of one another.

Deciding separately that whilst being without a phone signal sucks ass, it was kinda worth it because it brought them together. 

That whilst this is something unexpected, it is also something amazing that they wouldn’t trade for anything.

“So, what’s the mysterious husband of Richie Trashmouth Tozier like?” Wanda nudges Sara.

“Basically a shorter version of that.” Sara indicates to Stan, who glares at her.

“That’s so not funny.” Stan mutters indignantly.

“He doesn’t like being in the public eye. He literally nearly killed my dad when he posted that picture of papa chilling at that pool when we were on vacation.” Sara shrugs.

“You mean the only documented evidence of the existence of your dad’s husband?” Alec chimes in.

“The very same. Stanthony is also in the background of that picture wrapped up in all those towels and that dumb ass robe looking like a fucked up Yoda.” Sara snorts at the memory.

“I was trying not to get sunburn or heatstroke, Sara! It is so dangerous to sit out in the sun...”

“Okay now you are worse than papa, even he was enjoying the sun.” Sara points out.

“I cannot believe dad even posted that picture.” Stan is shaking his head.

“Wasn’t it trending for like nearly three weeks?” Georgie vaguely remembers.

“Yeah it was.” Sara cackles.

“Isn’t your dad involved in a new movie about one of his books?” Wanda asks Georgie.

“He is. It’s... It’s complicated, they want to change the ending...”

“No. Why would they want to do that? It can’t be that bad if it was a bestseller.” Wanda retorts.

“Exactly!” Georgie agrees.

“The story was great, the ending was so sad.” Mia comments.

“Me and my papa tried to talk him out of it, but our dad likes realistic endings.” Mia admits.

“There’s nothing wrong with...”

“People read to escape, Georgie.” Mia sighs.

“Not to cry.”

“It was really that depressing?” Alec nudges Mia in an gentle way.

“Most depressing shit I’ve ever read in my life.” Sara comments.

“Ooh, might avoid it then.” Sabrina nods.

“Give it a chance, it’s really not that bad.” Georgie sighs.

“Not that bad? It’s a masterpiece.” Wanda adds and Georgie smiles at his new friend.

“So what does the husband of the famous William Denbrough do?” Sara enquires.

“Yeah, he looks awesome.” Wanda agrees.

“He is awesome, the best papa in the whole wide world.” Georgie nods.

“He goes around the states restoring libraries. No one’s using them anymore because books can be downloaded and brought online and it upsets him and our dad, so our papa took it upon himself to restore some libraries to what they were and promote them on social media.” Mia explains quietly. 

“That so cool. I love going to the library with my mom and my dad, I’d hate it if it went away.” Alec gives her a bright smile.

“Gotta agree with you there, the library here has been a great escape for me. I could spend days in there. It’s the only thing I’ll miss about this shit hole of a town.” Sabrina admits.

“It’s really that bad around here?” Georgie frowns.

“Uh? Yeah. This place is awful.”

“I agree, I know I haven’t been here long but I’ve been doing some research and there’s been some really fucked up things that have happened to this town and in this town. Seriously, some of the shit I’ve read actually disgusts me.” Stan pipes up.

“I know right? Well, I can guess what you’ve read and I can confirm that is just that shitty here.” Sabrina mutters, pushing her blonde and bubblegum blue hair out of her face in mild frustration.

“Well, you can get the hell out of here soon, yeah?” Sara nudges her in the ribs.

“Yeah, I can and I’m not gonna look back for anything.” Sabrina nods.

“Can’t fucking wait.” 

“Yeah, from what I’ve read I can’t blame you at all for feeling like that. I just, i just don’t get it.” Stan shakes his head.

“Don’t get what?” Wanda glances up at him.

“Why the fuck any of our parents would actually want to come back here.”

After spending another hour or more getting to know each other through light hearted banter and chats, Sara decides that they should play some games to learn more about each other.

They’ve already played truth or dare and have gotten some hilarious stories out of one another and Georgie wants to do something a little bit similar when they’re done.

“Okay, new game. What is the worst thing you guys have ever done and either got caught for or nearly got caught for?” Georgie grins at the group.

“You mean everything my sister has ever done in her entire life?” Stan raises an eyebrow at his new acquaintance.

“Shut it asswipe.”

“Okay, that’s disgusting...” Stan starts only to get promptly ignored by his sister.

If you wanna play this game, you start us off, Denbrough.” Sara grins wickedly.

“Oh I will. The other week at one of the parties I went to for the upcoming end of term. I jumped off a balcony into a pool. Now, you think that wouldn’t be an issue but someone filmed it, it ended up on twitter and well, both my dad’s and my aunt Audra are on twitter.” Georgie shrugs as Wanda, Sara, Sabrina and Alec begin to snigger.

“That was so dangerous though.” Mia whispers quietly.

“You do realise how many bones you could have broken in doing that, right?” Stan gives him a look.

“I was fine, it wasn’t a big deal. Dad and papa totally overacted...”

“When we get phone service you gotta tag me in this video, I want to see it.” Sara cackles.

“I will. Okay, who’s next?” Georgie glances around the room.

“I’ll go.” Wanda raises her hand.

“My mom had this really cute dress she was designing. It was supposed to be the next big thing and something she only wanted to reveal at a fashion show or something. Well, I was lost for something to wear at a party and I kinda wore it. It ended up on the internet and mom got so mad. Even my dad was pissed at me for what I’d done and he rarely raises his voice.” Wanda admits.

“I saw that. You looked great.” Sara remarks. 

“I got that reaction and whilst everyone being nice about it was great, it was not worth the argument had with my mom over it. Especially since it kinda got stained with a drink at the party.” Wanda winces causing Sara to snigger.

“What about you? I feel like I can kinda guess from what I’ve seen on your twitter.” Wanda looks to Sara.

“Oh yeah, I think I know what you mean. I kinda got dared to recreate the ‘eat ass, smoke grass, sled fast’ meme and so of course I had to do it. I just did it on the main staircase at school, during an open day and my friends live-streamed it.” Sara admits to the immediate chorus of laughter from everyone except Stan, who just shakes his head and glares at her.

His disappointment evident.

“I got suspended for two weeks for that and my papa lost his entire shit. Fuck he was mad. It got worse when my dad found it funny and retweeted it.” Sara can’t help but start chuckling herself.

“I feel like I might have seen it, but please send it to me again.” Georgie laughs.

“Oh sure. What about you, Sabrina?”

“I’ve done a lot of things that would be considered bad. I guess.”

“Which is why you came under my sister’s radar, she can sense it.” Stan shakes his head at Sara.

“Think the dumbest thing I did was set fire to a kitchen, completely by accident guys, I swear, but I got so scared to tell anyone so I just threw a bucket of water at it and ran. We lost an entire kitchen and a decent part of the hallway that day. No one ever found out that it was me and I’ve avoided cooking ever since.” Sabrina admits.

“What have you been living on?” Sara raises an eyebrow at the girl.

“Salads, junk food and sandwiches.”

“Not bad.” Georgie nods.

“How is that not bad? That can not be a balanced meal!”

“What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done, Stan?” Sabrina cuts him off.

“I’m not proud of it, but I accidentally forgot to wash my hands before a really important meal.”

“Dude, it was just one meal.” Sara shakes her head as the others start to snort with laughter.

“I am disgusted with myself.” Stan places his hand on his chest and shakes his head.

“I know what the worst thing my sister has ever done.” Georgie sniggers.

“Please.” Mia buries her head in her hands.

“Oh but Mia, this is so funny. So, as you’ve probably already guessed, Mia hates our dad’s endings too. I don’t get it, I’ll never understand it, but she does, however she does usually like the rest of the story, so when someone at school really pissed her off about dad’s books and about how our papa trying to restore libraries was stupid, she hit them around the head with one of dad’s books!” Georgie cackles.

“You badass!” Sabrina raises a hand to give Mia a high five, who just buries her head into her hands.

“That’s so cool. You have my ultimate respect, Mia.” Sara beams at the embarrassed teen before focusing her attention on Alec Uris.

“Okay, what’s the worst you’ve done, Uris.” Sara nods towards Alec.

“Worst thing I ever did was probably smoke weed in my bedroom.” Alec reveals to the group.

“Wait what?! You smoke weed?! How old are you?!” Stan practically shrieks.

“Just shut up, Stan. I gotta hear this.” Sara glares at him before smirking at Alec.

“I would’ve gotten murdered by my mom and dad if they’d have caught me. I mean I risked it all. I normally do it in this corner I made for myself in my greenhouse to do that but my plants were recovering from a brief disease and I was worried that it would make them worse, so I just got high in my bedroom and opened all the windows and stuck on a lot of fans to get rid of the smell. I would’ve been murdered if I’d have been caught. My mom and dad would have actually killed me.” Alec shakes his head with a nervous laugh.

“I love you.” Sara gives Alec a high five.

“I actually love you.”

“But...” Stan starts and it’s Alec who cuts him off.

“Don’t worry, I’m literally three weeks away from being sixteen and besides, weeds medicinal and school’s stressful, you know?” Alec admits with a shrug of his shoulders.

Stan gives him a pointed look, but does agree with his statement about school being stressful. 

“I ain’t judging. My dad smokes god knows what out of a bong.” Sara holds her hands up. 

“Your dad is awesome.” Alec grins.

“How is that ‘awesome’ I swear to god...” Stan shakes his head and presses a hand to his face as Alec, Wanda, Georgie, Sabrina and Mia laugh at him.

“Do you think that stick up your ass is ever gonna come out? Or do you think that’s just it for you now.” Sara taunts her brother playfully.

“I don’t have time for this.” Stan groans, but that only makes the others laugh more.

They’re definitely an odd combination of people and each of them doubt that they would’ve ran in the same circles if they had all attended the same school together.

It makes each of them think.

Surprised when each of them come to the realisation that they’re enjoying themselves so much that they don’t miss their phones one bit.

“Does anyone else need the bathroom?” Wanda queries after another hour or so of just talking, exchanging playful insults and world class banter which makes Sara incredibly resentful of the loss of a phone signal as she would’ve been updating her twitter.

Detailing all the hilarious things she’s talked about with her new acquaintances.

“Seriously, none of you?” Wanda continues when no one says anything.

Asking because she honestly just feels a little anxious about going to the bathroom on her own after thinking that she heard voices coming out of the sink.

It’s stupid, she knows it’s not real and that she was just hearing things, but it would put her mind at ease if someone went with her.

She really doesn’t want to go on her own.

“Sara, Sabrina, Mia. Do you wanna come?” She grips the stair rail nervously.

“Okay.” Mia nods, rising to her feet.

“Actually Mia, do you mind grabbing your copy of dad’s book for me please? I know you brought a copy to make notes on for dad and I really want to prove a point about the ending.” Georgie asks.

“Of course, I can do that, can you...” Mia trails off, wanting Georgie to come with her purely because, despite feeling a little more confident after getting to know Wanda, Sara, Stan, Sabrina and Alec, she still feels nervous.

Especially considering the fact that she just felt incredibly unsettled in her room and really doesn’t want to go there alone.

“I’ll come.” Alec rises to his feet.

“Are you... Are you sure that’s okay? I don’t want...” Mia starts to babble a little.

“It’s okay.” Alec assures her, as the two set off up the stairs together. 

“Sara, Sabrina?” Wanda looks down at them again once Mia and Alec are gone.

“Yeah, I’m not really about that going to the bathroom in groups thing. I get that it’s a social thing, but it’s just fucking weird to me.” Sara snorts.

“Shut up, Sara.” Stan shakes his head at his sister for the umpteenth time.

“I’ll come.” Sabrina practically jumps up to her feet.

“Want me to hold your blanket for you? Jeez you really need a coat.” Sara offers as Sabrina nods and lets the blanket fall from her shoulders into Sara’s lap.

“I have a spare one.” Wanda reveals.

“You have a spare coat? Why’d you bring a spare coat?” Sara raises an eyebrow at her.

“I always pack more clothes than I actually need.” Wanda shrugs, turning and heading up the stairs with Sabrina.

“Thank you for coming with me, I just. I know I was alone here before I met you guys, but I just...” Wanda isn’t sure what to say.

It’s not like she can explain to Sabrina what she thought she heard.

It would make her look crazy.

“It’s fine, trust me, but honestly, Wanda. I gotta ask. What’s going on?” Sabrina enquires to Wanda’s surprise..

“Nothing, why?”

“You look a bit...” Sabrina tilts her head to the side before sighing and gently grabbing both of Wanda’s arms. 

“Okay, you’re gonna think I’m insane, but I promise you, I’m not. I swear to god, I’m not. I just wanna know if maybe you’ve perhaps come across something weird in your bathroom and that’s why you wanted the company right now.” Sabrina states.

She doesn’t want to startle her over something that is probably completely insane but she can tell that Wanda is anxious enough as it is and whilst the last thing Sabrina wants is to make Wanda paranoid.

There is the fact that knows what she’s seen herself.

What she’s heard...

“Wait.. What?”

The look in Wanda’s eyes is what startles her the most.

“You did...” Sabrina attempts to control her breathing.

No.

This is impossible. It can’t be real.

What she head? It has to be in her head. This can’t be a thing, right?

“Please tell me there’s a logical explanation... Is this a Derry thing?”

“Holy shit.” Sabrina whispers.

No. This. This is insane.

How...

How can what she heard be real?

“Thank you for coming with me.” Mia starts quietly as she enters the room with Alec close behind her.

They’d walked to the room in moderate silence.

Alec had talked.

Told her more about his love for nature and how he wants to help preserve it for as long as he possibly can.

It had made things easier for Mia.

To just be able to listen to someone talk so much that she didn’t even have to try and make any sort of conversation herself.

Something which she is terrible at doing.

This is why she doesn’t have a social life.

Her inability to talk to people is a curse.

Sure she can talk to Georgie, her dad’s and aunt Audra with no problem at all, but anyone else? That’s when she struggles.

It just makes her feel so anxious and even though she knows that realistically the world isn’t gonna end if she does try to talk to people, she knows that she would be incredibly awkward as she always is.

However, unlike literally everyone at school that she has to deal with, Alec doesn’t seem to notice that she doesn’t feel comfortable with talking much.

He’s kind and fights off the awkwardness with harmless chatter.

“It’s okay. I think your brother was way too engrossed in that conversation with Stan to realise that you didn’t want to come up here by yourself.” Alec comments.

“Yeah, Georgie. He’s always been so sociable. He makes up for me.” Mia tries to make light of things, biting down on her lip when worried that she’s being overly weird and starts to hunt around in her bag for the book.

“This is the kinda thing he’s good at, the whole talking to new people thing.”

“I’ve gotten better at it, years ago I’d barely talk to anyone but once I got involved in some clubs and found people that shared my interests I found it much easier, sure it almost got me arrested that one time but other than that.” Alec shrugs.

“You almost got arrested?” Mia spins around to face him.

“I don’t...” Mia tilts her head to the side a little.

“How? I don’t see it. You don’t look like the law breaking type.” 

Alec laughs softly and smiles at her.

“Yeah, I’m not.”

Mia returns his smile. 

He has a nice laugh.

“It was not my fault at all, I wasn’t even doing anything wrong.”

“I didn’t realise that people got close to being arrested for being law abiding citizens.” Mia finds herself smirking which only makes Alec laugh more.

“Oh that’s good, I like that. No, I nearly got arrested for being a part of a protest about nature at school. It got outta hand and those of us that were involved nearly got arrested and expelled. It was insane.” He tells her.

“I honestly thought you were gonna tell me that you got caught with the weed you mentioned.”

“Oh, no. No ones caught me with that, touch wood.” Alec pats the wooden door frame whilst grinning at Mia and nearly ends up tripping over his own feet.

“We should get back.” Mia says when she isn’t sure what to say.

“Yeah, yeah we should.” Alec pushes the door open and holds it open for Mia.

“Thanks.” Mia looks down at her feet in passing instead of up at Alec.

“So...” He starts as they head down the corridor together.

“What do you think?”

“What do I think of what?” 

“This place, Derry itself. Have you seen much of it since you got here?” Alec enquires.

“No, I haven’t. We just came straight here and our parents left for their meal. I don’t think I’d want to explore Derry. It’s a bit...”

“A bit what?” Alec pauses in the middle of the corridor.

“It sounds weird, but it’s a bit unsettling.” Mia admits.

“I know I’m probably...” Mia doesn’t have the chance to finish her sentence as she is abruptly cut off by a bloodcurdling scream.

Wanda closes the door to the room behind her and Sabrina.

Staring at the girl with wide eyes.

“I’m not crazy.” Sabrina is whispering.

“I. I...” Wanda doesn’t know what to say.

“I got up. I went to the bathroom and when I was standing over the sink. I thought I heard someone whispering my name. It was so weird. It wasn’t even my name it was just, ‘Miss Marsh.’ My mom’s last name. I thought I was hearing things because I was tired, but you...” Wanda stops as Sabrina pushes her hair away from her face nervously as she starts to pace.

“I told you guys that I live in care. Have done all my life. I hated it as it was and I always planned to get the fuck outta dodge as soon as I could, but the reason I chose to leave now was because I kept hearing shit.” Sabrina admits to her.

“I kept hearing shit at night, whenever I was in the bathroom or near the bathroom. It was fucking creepy. I thought I could hear the sink whispering my name. I know I sound crazy, but if you heard it too then...” 

Wanda glances towards the bathroom door briefly, reaching out for Sabrina’s arm.

“I definitely heard something.”

“I really don’t want to freak you out or anything.” Sabrina continues.

“Tell me. I don’t care, tell me and we can. We can find a solution, a reasonable explanation surely.” Wanda squeezes Sabrina’s arm gently.

“I don’t think we can because the reason I chose to leave now and escape that place was because kids in the care home started to go missing. First I thought they were running away, like I was planning on doing, but it got really weird. I caught this kid coming out of the bathroom, looked scared out of their fucking mind. They looked like I did whenever I heard...” Sabrina nods towards the bathroom.

“They were gone the next day. It was like they’d vanished. All their stuff was still there. I literally broke into their room to see if I could see anything, any indication of what had happened but there was nothing. Nothing except their stuff and this red balloon that was floating around.” Sabrina admits with a nervous look in her eyes.

“I didn’t and still don’t know what the fuck happened but I just figured that if it was something then I had to get outta town. Or maybe...”

“Maybe what?” Wanda blinks rapidly.

Unnerved by Sabrina’s almost haunting admission.

“Maybe it was something. Something that was taking them and warning them before hand by...” Sabrina shudders, stepping away from Wanda.

“It’s so fucking stupid. It’s insane, but all I knew was that I wasn’t gonna be next if there was something sinister going on so I ran. I did what I always said I’d do, I left and in a few hours I’ll be out of this town and I won’t be coming back here.” Sabrina declares firmly.

“I don’t blame you. As soon as my mom and dad get back, we’re out of here. This. I don’t even want to know what this means.” Wanda states with her hands slightly raised as she heads nervously towards the bathroom.

“Exactly. Now, I’ll be right outside if you need me. Just get in there and get out. Think we’ll be better off around the others.” Sabrina notes.

“Oh agreed and Sabrina, please take my spare coat. It’s the beige one hanging up in the wardrobe. I’ve got so many coats at home I won’t miss it, only really packed that one because I wasn’t sure what would go with my outfits.” Wanda calls through the now closed bathroom door as Sabrina strides towards the wardrobe, opening it up.

Eying the beige coat, Sabrina reaches towards it.

Feeling incredibly grateful towards Wanda.

No one has ever been so kind to her before and Sabrina didn’t really know how she’d manage to find a coat with the limited amount of money she has that she really needed to save for the bus and for rent and food.

She doubts that she would’ve been able to afford something like a coat and figured that she’d just have to deal with the blanket until the possibility of being able to steal one came up.

Taking a hold of the coat, Sabrina prepares to take it out of the wardrobe, but something with a vice like hold grabs onto her wrist.

The hold is iron like and the second she screams and begins to try and free herself, she can feel her own skin being torn as she is pulled into the closet.

“SABRINA!” Wanda screams the second she’d stepped out of the bathroom after having heard Sabrina’s own screams.

Grabbing onto Sabrina’s other arm without thinking in an attempt to keep Sabrina from being pulled into the closet by an unseen force.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Stan screeches as he, Georgie, Sara, Alec and Mia force their way through the door.

Having heard Sabrina and Wanda’s screams echoing through the townhouse.

Georgie has been expecting to see them trying to avoid a big insect of something.

Not Wanda trying to keep Sabrina from being apparently pulled into the closet.

“WHAT? HOW?!” Georgie splutters, but moves forward with Alec anyway and tries to help Wanda keep a hold of Sabrina.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?! SABRINA!” Sara tries to grab her as well, but even the combined strength of Sara, Alec, Wanda and Georgie is not enough to stop the unseen force from tearing Sabrina out of their reach.

Dragging her screaming into the abyss within the closet.

“Oh SHIT! FUCK! WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?! WHAT THE FUCK?!” Stan shrieks like a banshee.

“SABRINA!” Sara acts without thinking and runs headlong into the closet.

“SARA?!!” Stan screams, unleashing a horrified wail when he doesn’t hear Sara hit the back of the closet.

“WHAT THE FUCK!” Wanda yells, horrified by what she’s just witnessed.

“Oh my god.” Mia covers her mouth with her hands.

“That. That’s not.” Georgie can’t do anything but point towards the closet and start to tremble.

Stan is screaming obscenities at the top of his lungs, whilst Alec starts to move towards the closet.

“NO!”

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!”

“We have to go in and get them back! We can’t. I’m sorry.” Alec turns to face the others once before running into the closet.

“Come on!” Wanda fights through her state of terror to follow him.

“No, are you crazy?!” Georgie grabs her arm before she too can enter the closet.

“FUCK!” Stan runs into the closet too before Georgie or Mia can stop him. 

“COME ON!” Wanda grabs both of Georgie and Mia’s arms and pulls them both forcibly into the closet with her.

Allowing the three of them to be engulfed by the void.

Opening her eyes and being immediately confused as to why she shut them in the first place, Mia realises that the dark void has past and that they’re not stood within a closet.

That they’re not even in the hotel...

“Oh fuck...” Georgie whispers from beside her and Mia immediately grabs his arm in pure fear at what she is seeing with her own two eyes.

“This is not possible, how. How can this be real?” Wanda starts to tremble and reaches towards Mia and Georgie, which is when Georgie takes her hand in his.

“Fuck...” Stan groans, tears appearing in his eyes.

“Oh shit.” Alec whispers as the five of them take in their new surroundings.

They’re in a room, a large room.

One that looks like the room they’ve just left but also appears completely different at the same time.

For one, they are almost in complete darkness.

The only light being some kind of blueish-grey glow from an unknown source that illuminates the room ever so slightly.

Revealing to the five that the room they’re in is falling apart.

The floorboards are mostly cracked and broken.

The bed is reduced to a twisted springs and there is a cracked mirror that is covered in a sheen of dirt.

There is also a scent so putrid and pungent that Stan immediately gags.

“When I go through some kinda void in a wardrobe, I expect there to be Narnia, not a germ filled room that’s falling apart!” Stan shrieks.

“I don’t think anyone ‘expects’ to go through a void in a wardrobe, man!” Georgie groans.

“You just ran through here...” Mia glances between Alec and Stan.

“My sister ran in first. I have to find her. I have to keep her safe! SARA! S...” Alec covers Stan’s mouth with his hand.

“Shh. You gotta stay quiet. We gotta stay quiet, we need to... We can do this, we can find Sara and Sabrina. We got this. We’re gonna be okay. This...” Alec looks away.

“This? This what, Alec?! Alec!” Wanda raises her voice as Stan tries to fight against Alec’s hand, muffled screeches escaping his lips.

“This is what my dad was talking about.” Alec whispers.

“Wait, what?!” Wanda grabs his arm.

“I can’t explain. I can’t explain this right now. I will, I promise, but we have to find Sara and Sabrina before...” Alec is cut off by the sound of familiar screams.

“SARA!” Stan yells and breaks free from Alec’s hold and begins to run towards the nearest door which he yanks open and forces himself through.

“Shit, Stan!” Alec surges forward towards the door with Georgie, Mia and Wanda behind him.

Yet, when Alec gets the door open, Stan is nowhere to be seen and there is just a long, old and close to breaking down corridor.

“WHERE THE FUCK DID HE GO?!” Georgie yells as Alec begins to move down the corridor with something that most definitely isn’t courage or confidence.

This is IT.

This is the clown.

IT knows who they are.

They’re about to face the clown...

“What do you know?! What is this place? Alec, talk to us.” Mia reaches for his arm.

“It’ll take too long and we need to find the others. This place is gonna fuck with our heads, but we can get out of here. I swear to god, we can get out of here.” Alec continues to move down the corridor with the others close behind him. 

“What do you mean ‘this place is gonna fuck with our heads’ what is this place! What’s going on? Is this... This is something to do with the voice in the sink. Something’s here. We’re. We’re being haunted...” Wanda trails off.

“That’s crazy. Guys that’s insane, we can’t be being haunted. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this.” Georgie speaks quickly.

“I don’t think there is.” Mia cries softly.

“Yeah, yeah there is. We got high. You offered us weed and we got high, this is a really bad trip. We just, forgot you gave us weed. Right? This is what it is. It can’t be... it can’t.” Georgie trembles in fear.

“No, no, this. This...” Alec is cut off by the floor suddenly caving in under his feet, sending him tumbling into darkness.

“ALEC!” Mia screams and moves to follow him, but Georgie grabs her and keeps her from doing that.

“We can’t go down there! Come on, we gotta go back the way we came.” Georgie pulls a struggling Mia along with him and Wanda.

“We can’t leave Alec!”

“We’re not, he’s going to be fine. I know what this is, he’ll find a way out for sure. It’s okay.” Georgie states as he breaks into a jog.

“What are you talking about?” 

“I’ve read about this before. We’re still in the hotel, some creep probably built a room within the back of the closet, or at least a door way into a room that’s been abandoned. It can’t be anything else. I don’t know what grabbed Sabrina, but Sara and Stan have probably got her by now and Alec will probably have fallen through to an exit.” Georgie explains, trying to keep a level head through a situation that is greatly unnerving.

“What? No, Georgie this is something else. This is something horrible. I don’t know. I don’t know what this is, but this isn’t something we can explain and Alec...” Mia trails off.

“Alec knew something. Something we don’t and now he’s in trouble. Sara, Stan and Sabrina, they’re in trouble too, we gotta do something.” Wanda practically cries.

“We are, we are. Come on.” Georgie leads both Wanda and Mia back towards the door they came through.

“We’re just gonna go back to your room.” Georgie opens up the door and Wanda steps through it first with Georgie close behind her.

The door slams shut before Mia can walk through it though.

“MIA!” Georgie yells as the door slams shut, immediately trying to open it as Mia begins to bang on the door.

“GEORGIE! GEORGIE!” Mia cries as she tries to open the door that has suddenly become stuck.

Stuck and unmoving.

“MIA!” Georgie throws his weight at the door, trying to open it up.

“Mia, it’s okay! We’re gonna get this open, Wanda, help me!” Georgie turns in an attempt to see why Wanda isn’t helping him.

Which is when he realises that she’s looking at a set of three doors.

Three doors that weren’t there in this room before.

“This. That isn’t. Oh shit...” Georgie is horrified at the sight of the doors.

The doors that definitely weren’t there before.

“There has to be. We came into the wrong room. This, this can’t be... fuck...” Georgie whispers.

“GEORGIE! WANDA!” Mia continues to bang on the door, trying to force it open to no avail.

This isn’t happening.

This can’t be happening.

She’s dreaming, she’s going to wake up soon and this is all going to turn out to be one horrible nightmare.

It’s not real.

There’s no way this can be real.

Not Scary. Scary. Very Scary.

That is what is written on the three doors in red paint?

It has to be paint, this has to be a prank. Georgie thinks to himself.

Sabrina’s from Derry, she probably knew about this abandoned room within the townhouse and is playing a prank on them.

It can’t be anything but that.

“This is so fucking stupid.” Georgie shakes his head as he yanks open the Not Scary door.

Revealing a dark opening.

“Come...” Georgie starts to tighten his hold on Wanda’s hand about to lead them both through the door when something starts to move.

Moving from within the dark.

Looking down to the ground, Georgie and Wanda watch in horror as a whole yellow galosh cladded arm starts to crawl towards them, using its fingers to move itself towards them.

Screaming, Wanda and Georgie shut the door as quickly as they can.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!” Georgie screams as he and Wanda race towards the door that they previously couldn’t open.

“I DON’T KNOW!” 

“SHIT! MIA!” Georgie yells as he finally manages to open the door.

Only to find that he sister isn’t stood outside.

She’s gone..

“MIA!” Georgie screams, looking in each direction before turning and running down the direction they’d followed Alec in.

Hoping that Mia has just followed him.

“GEORGIE!” Wanda yells as she is suddenly torn away from Georgie by an unseeable force.

“WANDA!” Georgie cries as he feels her hand being torn from his as she disappears.

“Wanda!” Georgie takes off running in the other direction, forcing himself to move even when it’s as if the corridor doesn’t end.

Realising with each step, that this is getting harder to explain by the second.

Wanda lands in a heap.

“GEORGIE?!” She cries immediately as she forces herself to sit up.

“MIA? ALEC? STAN? SABRINA? SARA?!” She calls out their names as she tries to scramble to her feet, slipping almost instantly, which is when she realises that she’s sat in a bathtub?

Looking up, Wanda realises that there is a shower curtain next to her and moves it across with shaky hands.

Gripping the sides of the bathtub when she realises that she’s in a completely different room.

It’s a bathroom, an old one at that and whilst the lighting is low and almost yellowish, Wanda can make out another figure standing over a sink.

A girl with short red hair is feeding what looks to be a tape measure down the sink?

“Hello?” Wanda whispers as she starts to pull herself out of the pea green bath.

“Hello?” Wanda raises her voice a little, but the girl doesn’t turn around.

“Hey.” Wanda reaches out for the girl, who is now pulling the tape measure up and out of the sink with her ring covered fingers.

Yet the second Wanda rests her hand on the girl’s shoulder is when she sees that the tape measure is covered in blood, blood and something else.

Something...

Something that shoots out of the sink and without any warning whatsoever, the string like substance from the sink begins to wrap itself around the girl and around Wanda’s hand before she can pull it away.

Screaming at the same time the girl does, Wanda tries to free her hand from the vice that is this stringy substance that Wanda soon realises is hair.

Hair...

Continuing to scream, Wanda tries to free herself and the girl, but they’re both wrapped up in the hair.

It cuts into her mouth and wraps around her face.

How is this happening?

What is this?

This can’t be... Wanda’s distressed thoughts are cut off when both she and the girl are suddenly hit by a tidal wave of blood.

Blood that explodes up from the sink.

Covering her, the girl and the entire room in heaps upon heaps of blood.

Stuck in place by the hair, Wanda can feel the blood in her mouth, in her hair and pretty much covering every single part of her body.

Drenching her in the blood.

It’s only when the shower of blood stops that both Wanda and the girl are suddenly freed from their restraints.

Both of them falling to the blood soaked bathroom floor as they both try to pull themselves away from the sink.

Slipping and sliding in the blood.

Wanda forcing herself to crawl towards the door whilst slipping in blood, her nails scraping against the tiles in an attempt to escape the room. 

Forcing herself up so she can grab the door handle, pulling it down as hard as she can so she can open it and when it does open, she finds herself suddenly in the corridor she was in with Georgie, Mia and Alec.

Crying as she spits out the blood that she is completely coated in and scratching at her bloodstained hair with her fingers, Wanda scrapes her knees as she forces herself up from the wooden floor.

Stumbling along the corridor to a flight of stairs that she doesn’t think she saw there the last time.

“GEORGIE!” Mia cries as she hears her brother and Wanda screaming.

Managing to finally force her way through the door, only to find herself in an empty room.

A darkened room that definitely isn’t the same one as before.

Where are they?

What is this place?

This can’t be possible. Mia thinks to herself as her heart begins to race.

How is any of this possible?!

Stay calm, stay calm. Mia tells herself as she looks around the unfamiliar room.

The room is bricked, bricked and dark with one large wooden door.

Calm the fuck down Mia! She mentally scolds herself as tears begin to slide down her cheeks as fear engulfs her.

Shaking as she steps towards the door.

Trying to think of something else.

Something other than where she is now and whatever is happening to her.

Remembering that this all could be just a very bad dream.

That she could still be asleep in the townhouse.

This isn’t a dream though.

It’s a nightmare and it’s real.

“Shit.” She whispers, practically cowering into herself as thoughts strike her already troubled mind.

Thoughts of the whispers she thought she’d heard in the attic at home.

Hushed voices, whispers and horrific images as she had touched this basket...

Tears dripping down her cheeks as she tries to calm both her racing mind and heart as she tries to remember all the times she’s freaked out before and lost herself to her anxiety.

Remembering that either her dad or her papa and Georgie had been there and that they had calmed her down.

They’re not with her right now, but she tries to imagine that they are.

That they’re with her as she faces whatever this is.

Mia lets out a cry when she hears the hushed whispering.

Forcing her to remember the horror she’d faced as a child.

The haunting whispers that came from that damned decorative basket in the attic that she has had nightmares of ever since.

However, these are not the same whispers.

Sure, they sound pretty similar, but they are not the same at all.

This is different and the whispers are coming from behind the large door...

Mia starts to back away as the whispers grow louder and the door begins to open.

Screaming when a bunch of mangled and burnt hands suddenly slide out of the crack in the door.

Beginning to hit at the door as the whispers turn into screams.

Mia screeches and moves back as quickly as she can as the hands start to hit the door as her ears are filled with the sound of screaming and her nose is filled with the most awful smell of something burning.

“No, no, no!” Mia screams as she backs away from the door, unable to take her eyes off of it and the hands that start to scratch at the door in an awfully sickening way as smoke and fire begins to seep out of the door.

However, as she moves back the hands from the start to appear out of nowhere.

Crawling out of the dark and grabbing m at her long hair and her clothes as the screams fill her ears at an almost deafening level.

The hands burn her skin when they touch her neck, her chest, her arms and the side of her cheek causing Mia to cry out in pain as she tries to pull herself out of the grasp of this horrific force.

When she’s finally forced herself free, Mia covers her hands with her ears and cries as she moves as quickly as she can to the nearest door.

Opening it up just as the hands catch up to her and tug at her hair again, managing to free herself from the room.

Crying as she finds herself back out in the corridor again, Mia winces at the small burns left on her skin from where those awful things had touched her.

However, unlike the last time she was in the corridor with the others and it was just one long corridor, there is now a staircase.

A staircase that Mia forces herself towards.

“SARA!” Stan races down the corridor that he is pretty certain is going to cave in on him at any given moment.

Why the fuck did his parents drag him and Sara out to this town again?

From everything he’s read: Derry is a piece of shit and pretty much death capital of Maine.

Everything he had read had made him uncomfortable and this.

Well, this just proves it.

Sara is so stupid for running headlong into danger like this, she didn’t think. Stan muses to himself.

She never thinks before she does something and that’s why she’s always getting herself into trouble.

However, Stan does commend her for running after Sabrina like that.

Sure, they probably would have all gone after Sabrina after seeing whatever the fuck that was that happened to her.

However, the second Sara followed her, Stan knew he had to help.

Sara is his sister, his younger sister by twelve minutes. 

He has to protect her.

Protect her like she protects him at school sometimes.

There is also the fact that he is in charge.

His papa left him in charge and Stan does not want to let him down.

He has to save Sara.

“SARA! Sara, I’m coming!” Stan cries when he hears her scream again.

Following her screams, Stan runs down a corridor which suddenly starts to move.

What the fuck?

The corridor starts to turn and even though he fights to keep going, things start to appear in his path.

Dirt, dirty plates covered in rotting food.

The carcasses of dead birds.

Literal piles of vomit.

Tissues covered in fluids that make Stan gag.

A smell that makes him retch.

His worst enemy, bandaids.

Bandaids stuck to every surface, peeling off of surfaces and folded up on the floor face up.

Stan screams at the sight of them and starts to run, stumbling as the corridor continues to warp.

Shoving him into bandaid and used tissue covered walls.

He’s going to die, this is it.

This is how he dies.

Surrounded by used bandaids, tissues, vomit, dead birds and rotten food.

Holy fuck, this is his worst nightmare.

The worst...

He fights his way through it though.

There’s no other choice.

He has to get to Sara.

Practically holding back his own vomit, Stan forces his way through the mess, forcing himself towards a door that suddenly appears like a ray of light.

The door opens and Stan screams, preparing to be hit by something disgusting.

“Stan?”

Stan moves his hands away from his face when he realises that it’s Sara.

Sara, who looks like she’s seen a ghost.

There are tears sliding down her cheeks and she is uncontrollably shaking.

“Oh, Sara!” Stan pulls his sister into his arms, holding her tightly as she cries.

“Sara, what the fuck happened?!” 

“SABRINA!” Sara calls the second the void had cleared for her.

Revealing an old, dirty room?

What the ever loving fuck?

How? How is this a thing? What the fuck is this and how does it possibly exist? 

Thoughts run through Sara’s head like a wildfire. 

It becomes quite clear to her in a matter of moments that whatever this is, is fucked up and unnatural.

That was clear to Sara the second she saw her new friend being dragged through a closet screaming.

This is all manners of fucked up.

A distant scream alerts Sara to the fact that Sabrina is nowhere to be seen and that she needs to save her.

Whatever the fuck is going on can be discussed in detail later, but right now, she’s gotta save Sabrina.

If Sabrina can be saved... Sara pauses for a horror filled moment.

A moment in which she is forced to face the prospect that Sabrina has been killed or is currently being murdered.

Sara hates it.

Death scares the shit outta her.

She’s always terrified that she’s going to wake up one day and find her dad, her papa and Stan dead somewhere in the house.

Or get a phone call wherever she is saying that they have died and that she’s all alone...

No, don’t think like that, Sabrina’s out there and needs you to save her ass. Sara tells herself.

Your parents and Stan are fine and are probably gonna kick your ass for following someone you barely know into whatever this is. Sara tries to reassure herself as she moves through what’s gotta be a haunted house...

A scream destroys her train of thought.

“Sabrina!” Sara calls, running and opening up the only door in the room.

“Sabrina, I’m coming!” Sara yells as she enters an incredibly dark room.

A dark room filled with many peculiar objects.

Objects all covered with sheets.

The kind one uses to cover furniture when they’re decorating.

This is so fucking weird...

Sara nearly trips over her own feet when the sheets are suddenly ripped away by an unknown force.

The same unknown force that took Sabrina?

“You better bring her back!” Sara yells to not sure who, not sure what.

“I’m serious. If she’s hurt, I’m gonna kick your fucking ass whatever the fuck you are you piece of shit!” Sara yells, before focusing on what has been revealed to her.

“What the fuck?” Sara mutters under her breath as she realises that the darkened room is filled with mannequins.

Disturbing ones that appear to be something that resembles something in between a creepy china doll and a clown.

Sara shudders with immense discomfort as she pushes her way through the mannequins, not caring how many she pushes over in her mission to be freed of them and to find Sabrina.

However, the second she’s freed of them it’s like she’s entered a clearing.

The mannequins are all around her, but she is in a spacious circle.

At the far end of the circle, however, is something covered up underneath a white sheet.

“SHIT!” Sara yells when the sheet suddenly falls, revealing a whole goddam coffin. 

“Fuck.” Sara’s eyes widen with fear at the sight of the jet black coffin, that despite having lost the white sheet, still has a piece of paper on top of it.

Picking up the piece of paper with shaking hands, Sara adjusts her glasses and starts to read what is printed next to the picture of a young boy with hideous, but disturbingly familiar glasses.

“In loving memory of Richie...” Sara lets out a sudden cry dropping the piece of paper immediately as tears begin to stream down her cheeks.

No, no, no. That can’t be...

That can’t be real. It’s not, there’s no way.

Oh shit... 

Sara starts to cry as she begins to back away from the coffin, running her hands through her hair.

However, before she can do anything or search for a way to get the hell out of this nightmare, the coffin begins to move.

“Fuck no.” Sara sniffs through her tears as she starts to back away, screaming loudly when something jumps out of the coffin, landing in a crouched position upon the lid.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Sara screams at the  
most horrifying thing she has ever seen in her entire life.

It looks like a clown.

One really fucked up clown.

Holy fuck that thing is terrifying.

Crouched down over the coffin, the clown raises its hand and grins.

A sickening, most disturbing grin that fills Sara with nothing but dread as it looks her dead in the eyes with its sharp yellow ones.

“Beep. Beep. Sara!”

Sara yelps and backs away immediately, screaming as the clown advances on her with its talon like claws outstretched towards her.

“FUCK!” Sara screams as she whirls around to tug at the door that she has managed to work her way to. 

It opens in seconds and Sara slams the door in the face of the disturbing clown.

Letting out a relieved sigh when she sees Stan running towards her, a look of both pure fear and utter disgust on his face. 

He covers his hands with his face when they bump into each other.

“Stan?” Sara breathes, trying to stop herself from unleashing the tears that have been rapidly filling her eyes.

“Oh, Sara!” He seems to quickly realise that it’s her and pulls her into the embrace she didn’t realise that she needed so desperately and that’s when she allows herself to cry.

Feeling safer than she did before in her brother’s arms.

He’s annoying and she loves nothing more than to tease him but at the end of the day, he’s her brother and despite all this reservations, ran after her when she chose to come here.

She wouldn’t know what she’d do without him or her dads’. 

Which is why she cries.

She cries because she’s relieved to see Stan but she also cries because she’s terrified.

“Sara, what the fuck happened?!” Stan pretty much screeches.

“Fuck knows, I don’t get it. I went after Sabrina, I could hear her screaming, but I got trapped in that room and I saw... Fuck.” Sara can’t bring herself to finish the sentence and before Stan can press for answers, another bloodcurdling scream fills their ears.

“Sabrina!” They chorus and break into a run.

Filled with somewhat relief when they see a staircase at the end of the corridor. 

The first thing Alec notices when he lifts his head, is that his head hurts like a fucking bitch.

Groaning as he sits himself up, Alec immediately curses when he realises that his vision is a bit blurry and that his head is pounding.

Raising a hand to touch the back of his head, Alec winces at both the contact and the fact that his hand comes away sticky and warm with his own blood.

Great, just fucking great.

He’s about to fight a clown and he’s most probably got a concussion. 

This has to be the clown, Alec deducts.

From everything his dad told him, it’s not hard to realise that this is definitely the clown’s doing and that they’re all in a lot of danger.

They’re in the house that his father and his friends ended up in.

The house IT lives in.

Must have gone through some kinda portal IT opened when IT took Sabrina.

Sure, he’s scared shitless because Alec had hoped that his father was right about the clown not being a problem for him because he didn’t grow up in Derry.

Which is obviously a load of bullshit now seeing as he’s in the clown’s house and probably being hunted by IT.

Remaining still for a few moments, Alec deducts that the clown must have sensed his relation to his father.

Which is why he can see and experience the same shit his father did twenty seven years ago...

“Alec! Alec Uris, what are you doing?” A hauntingly familiar voice fills his ears and Alec nearly has a heart attack when his mom appears.

“Mom...” Alec starts slowly.

This isn’t... This isn’t real.

His mom is dressed all in black, something which she never does and is wearing an intricate hair piece.

“Oh, Alec. I’m so sorry honey.” His mom gives him a sympathetic look.

“Why? What are you sorry for?” 

This isn’t real, Alec reminds himself.

He has to get out of here now.

Holy fuck...

He’s back in his room, he’s lying on his bed.

Wait... What?! Alec’s thoughts begin to run wild.

Is this real? What is this? How...

No, it’s not real. The clown plays tricks. This is a trick. He tries to remind himself, but something at the back of his mind asks him if he could perhaps consider the possibility that everything that happened was just a bad dream.

That it was all a bad dream and he’s here, at home, in his bed and his mom and dad are in the living room.

Maybe it was all one really bad weed trip.

If that’s the case then he’s gotta get a whole new stash of it.

That’s some powerful shit.

“Come on. You’ve got to go back in there. I know you want to stay in here, I do to, but we have to get through this, together.” His mom sniffs and that’s when Alec realises that she’s crying.

“Mom... Are you?” Alec sits up and gets to his feet, which is when he realises that he’s wearing a smart black suit.

Something he’s never worn before either.

What the shit is going on?!

“Let’s go back in there, it’ll be over soon. Today won’t last forever.” She starts to walk away from him and Alec is quick to follow her.

Utterly confused as to what’s going on.

He follows her into the living room which is crammed with so many people wearing black.

Almost as if it was some kind of sitting shiva.

A period of mourning after a...

Alec freezes when he sees all the cards in the kitchen.

Sympathy cards...

There’s a picture frame in the middle of the table.

It’s a picture of his dad smiling.

Why is there a picture of his dad amongst all these cards?

Why are there sympathy cards?

“I just can’t believe it.” He hears murmurs from the masses of people in the room.

“Can’t believe he’s gone.”

“Poor Patricia, poor Alec. I can’t imagine it. The pain they must be feeling right now.”

“Heard it happened here.”

“In the bathtub...” 

Alec lets out a sudden cry when he realises what is going on.

This is part of a sitting shiva.

This is the sitting shiva for...

Tears start to slide down Alec’s cheeks when he sees the ‘In memory of Stanley Uris’ card next to the picture.

Holy shit, no...

This isn’t. It can’t be real. 

There’s no way this is real.

Alec knows this because he saved him.

He saved his dad.

Unless...

Unless he didn’t and then he went and got high to escape the pain that came from loosing...

No. This isn’t real.

“THIS ISN’T FUCKING REAL!” Alec screams, which causes everyone in the room to turn and stare at him.

“My dad isn’t dead. I saved him. I came into his office as he was writing the notes and I stopped him. My head’s bleeding. I have a concussion because I fell, I fell through the floor in the house. The fucked up house where you live. You, IT! I know who you are you fucking clown!” Alec snarls.

“This isn’t real.” Alec mutters with a shake of his head, ignoring the painful look in his mother’s eyes.

“This isn’t fucking real.” Alec whispers and suddenly everyone in the room disappears.

Allowing Alec a few seconds of relief.

It wasn’t real, his dad is okay.

He’s at dinner with his friends.

He didn’t do it, he saved him...

“SHIT!” Alec yells suddenly when the fridge door opens.

Revealing something twisted, something folded up.

From where he’s stood and with his slightly blurry vision, Alec can’t quite make out what it is, but he knows that it can’t be anything good.

Slowly, the thing begins to move.

Unfolding itself hands first with a demented chuckle as it twists, turns and contorts itself until it frees itself from the inside of the fridge.

It’s the clown.

The motherfucking clown.

“Time to float!” IT cackles at him in a voice of the likes Alec has never heard before.

“Fuck you.” Alec hisses, slowly starting to back away from the clown.

“This isn’t real.”

“Not real? This isn’t real?” The clown speaks in a high pitched voice that sounds incredibly taunting.

“I know what you are, you asshole. I’m not afraid.” Alec starts to stand his ground as the clown approaches him.

IT feasts on fear and he’s not afraid.

He’s not afraid! Alec tries to convince himself, but honestly he doesn’t know if he’s doing a very good job of that.

The clown is fucking horrifying.

“Not afraid? Do you want to know what though? Your father was. He was afraid. Just like he is now. He’s afraid of little old me.”

Alec doesn’t know what to do or what to say, trying to glance out of the corners of his eyes in an attempt to see if he can find an exit, but he’s still trapped.

Trapped in this illusion IT has created.

“Fear.” The clown hisses.

“It’s too much, too much fear for him. Fear will take him back to the weeds. He’ll take himself there you know.” The clown continues to taunt him.

“No he won’t!” Alec yells then.

“He fought you then and won and I’ll fight you now and win. You’re nothing but a piece of shit, you. You motherfucker!” Alec spits which is when the clown suddenly grabs his face.

His fingers are like knives and they dig into the sides of Alec’s face causing him to hiss in pain.

“I can taste your fear, your sweet, sweet fear. It’s the loss that frightens you and you know what, brave Uris?” The clown practically spits in his face and Alec closes his eyes.

The stench of death filling his nose as IT breathes on him.

“You haven’t changed it. You haven’t changed his future.” He hisses and suddenly Alec finds himself stood in his bathroom, the family bathroom.

Stood over the blood filled bathtub that also contains...

Alec cries immediately at the sight of his dad draped over the side of the bathtub.

Blood pooling out of his...

“Fuck. YOU!” Alec screams through the illusion of his worst fear.

“Oh just you wait and see little Uris. He’ll float, you’ll float. They’re all float. We all float down here...”

“FUCK YOU!” Alec snarls and kicks his way free of the clown. 

Kicking IT straight in the family jewels in the hopes that he can free himself and he does, immediately beginning to scramble away from the clown as the illusion dissipates.

Revealing that he was where he always thought he was.

In the house.

IT’s house.

Alec lets out an angry cry, as he launches himself at the nearest door and charges straight through it.

“FUCK!” He yells when he immediately bumps into something, which fortunately turns out to be Mia Denbrough-Hanlon.

“Alec!” Mia breathes, unable to believe that she is seeing him alive with her own two eyes.

“Oh, Mia!” Alec can’t help but give her a relieved smile as she suddenly throws her arms around him without thinking.

“Alec, I don’t know what’s going on. I saw... There were these things...”

“I know, I know. I saw shit too. I saw some bad shit, Mia.” Alec holds her close to him.

“Fuck, Alec, where are we? What are we doing here? What’s going on. I don’t.. I don’t understand this is insane, this is crazy...”

“Woah, woah, woah. It’s okay. It’s okay, I’ve got you, breathe. Just breathe, it’s okay. I’m here and we’re gonna get out of here.” Alec tries to calm her down.

“How do you know that? How could you possibly know that? We’re gonna die. Whatever this is is going to kill us.”

“No, no we’re gonna get out of here. It’s okay, it’s alright, we’re gonna get out. I believe we’re gonna get out and believing, well...” Alec thinks back to the hurried explanation his dad has given him, before letting out another relieved sigh as he sees Sara and Stan running towards them.

“Oh fuck, we’re in deep fucking shit man.” Sara breathes heavily as she stands in front of Mia and Alec.

“Oh thank god.” Mia releases Alec and moves to put her arms around both Sara and Stan.

“Did you guys see?”

“Oh yeah, we’ve seen... Yeah I’ve think we’ve all seen a lot of shit.”

“No fucking kidding, holy fuck.” Sara groans, her eyes widening immediately as a figure appears behind Alec.

“Holy shit, what happened to you?” She yells as the figure reveals herself to be a blood coated Wanda.

“Oh my god.” Mia practically cries at the sight of Wanda.

“Shit!” Stan looks horrified, even more so when Wanda appears to be moving in for a hug.

“Oh the blood...” Stan hates himself for backing away from her, but he can’t.

He can’t be covered in that.

“Hey.” Sara steps forth instead to embrace a shaking Wanda.

“It was horrible. What I saw...”

“Yeah, you look like you got...” Stan isn’t sure how to finish the sentence and fortunately he doesn’t have to, as they are all immediately distracted when they hear the familiar sound of someone screaming.

“Kill them all.” The sharp whisper is what awakens an unconscious Sabrina from her unconscious state.

“Kill them all.” The whispers continue as she starts to breathe rapidly, forcing herself up into a crouched position only to fall down again when she realises how much pain there is radiating through her leg.

Thinking quickly, Sabrina remembers the events leading up to this.

She was with an unexpected group of new acquaintances, ready to get the fuck out of Derry.

She was close, so, so close to getting out of this godforsaken town, but then that girl...

Sara Tozier. She found her and then they got talking and because Sabrina has never had a friend before, or anyone willing to talk to her or show her a single shred of kindness, she embraced it.

Embraced what was given to her and now she’s here.

Here in some kind of, drug den? Sabrina guesses as she looks around at her surroundings which are incredibly grim.

Dark, mouldy and pretty much falling apart.

“Fuck.” Sabrina runs her fingers through her hair, letting out a terrified cry.

What the fuck was that thing that pulled her through that damn closet?

She’d heard that voice though and the whispers.

They’re the voices she heard coming up from every single drain she’s encountered this year.

Wanda heard them too.

It’s all real, it’s all fucking real and now? Now she’s been snatched, taken just like those kids at the care home.

Oh fuck...

She’s become one of them, one of the missing and she won’t be found.

No one gives a shit about her.

They never have.

All she’s ever been is the ‘Bowers’ girl’.

Considered a monster just because her father is one. 

Sure, Sabrina is aware that she can be a sarcastic bitch at times, but she’s not a killer.

She’s not a monster.

All she’s ever wanted was for people to know who she really was and at least she knows that she’ll die knowing that Sara, Wanda, Alec, Mia, Stan and Georgie got to know her.

That they didn’t judge her because of who her father is.

At least that’s something she can take to the grave.

Glancing down at her knee, Sabrina winces when she realises how swollen it is and how there are deep claw marks on her arm from where that thing pulled her into the closet.

“Kill them all.” The haunting whispers startup again, becoming louder and louder by the second.

“Kill them all!”

Sabrina screams in frustration and fear, covering her hands with her ears in an attempt to block them out.

Why is this happening to her?

What the fuck is wrong with this town?!

Sabrina screams in the split second that she catches a glimpse of a terrifying face popping its head around the doorframe.

Screaming even louder and trying to move herself backwards when the terrifying creature forces its way into the room.

It’s a clown, she thinks it’s a clown anyway.

It’s what she would imagine a clown to be if it got hit by a truck. 

Something fucking horrifying and beyond messed up.

“Kill them all. Kill them? Don’t you feel it little Bowers? Can’t you feel the urge?” It speaks in a voice that Sabrina doubts she will ever be able to forget.

Closing her eyes and keeping her fingers pressed firmly to her ears, Sabrina shakes her head.

“Fuck you! Stay the fuck away from me!” She screams.

“Stay away you say? Would you like that, little Bowers? Would you like to kill me? Would you like to kill all the people in your way forever and ever?” It begins to taunt her and Sabrina cannot stop the tears from forming.

“Why? I don’t want anyone dead! Ahh!” Sabrina screams again as it latches onto her injured leg and drags her across the dirty ground.

“Well, because you should have been the next Henry Bowers of course. Would you like to meet your daddy, little Bowers? Oh you wouldn’t like that would you?” The clown chortles and Sabrina trembles, shaking her head in fear.

“You wouldn’t want him to find out what you are, would you? What you keep to yourself. What you don’t want anyone to know.” 

“Fuck you.” Sabrina groans as she tries to force herself free.

“Fuck you!” 

“But I know what you are. What you think no one else knows, but I know. I know your secret and I what your daddy would do if he knew what you were. Should we tell him, little Bowers? Should we?” 

Sabrina writhes and fights back agonising cries as she fights against the clown’s grip.

“He wouldn’t like it you know, he wouldn’t like it at all, no one would, but if you choose, if you make the same choices he did, it’ll all blow over. It’ll all float away.” The clown speaks in a terrifying manner.

“Kill them all, little Bowers. Kill them al and it all goes away, all that pain, all that shame. Join us...”

“No.” Sabrina shakes her head, screaming when the clown drags her once again by her injured leg so she’s practically beneath the body of the twisted clown that grabs a hold of her face.

Twirling pieces of her bubblegum blue hair around its long talons as its entire face starts to come apart.

Sabrina screams as rows upon rows of sharp teeth appearing as a light begins to emit from within...

“GET OFF OF HER YOU PIECE OF SHIT!” Georgie Denbrough-Hanlon bursts through the door, stabbing it in the back with an iron rod.

Georgie breathes quickly, trying to work out what the actual fuck he is seeing with his own two eyes that he’s just practically impaled with an iron rod he’d found discarded on the ground.

“Sabrina!” He calls to the girl that is crawling out and away from the suddenly motionless clown.

He thinks it’s a clown anyway and he thinks he might have just killed it.

Now, it’s 2016. 

There have bee many sightings of clowns throughout the United States this year.

Maybe this is something completely natural, well not natural, but something that can be explained...

All thoughts of finding a possible explanation leaves Georgie’s mind the instant the clown starts to move.

Twisting itself around to face him with its entire body in a way that is just not humanly possible.

This might be a clown, but this clown cannot be human.

“Georgie?” The clown addresses him, the iron rod still stuck through its middle.

“You’re not Georgie?”

What the fuck is going on? Georgie muses as he starts to slowly back away towards the door he’d just come through, keeping his locked on both the clown and Sabrina, who is slowly edging her way around the room.

“FUCK!” Georgie yells as the clown suddenly lunges at him, it’s mouth wide open and it’s entire face extended.

Georgie is able to turn and move out of the way seconds after the clown’s claws tear into his arm.

“You’re not Georgie. You’re not the real Georgie.” The Clown hisses menacingly as Georgie cries out from the horrific pain in his arm.

“You’re all wrong. You’re too old, your skin... Urgh.” The Clown makes a noise of disgust and Georgie immediately sees red.

“Oh hell no!” He pulls himself to his feet.

“GEORGIE, BE CAREFUL!” Sabrina screams as Georgie charges towards the clown, grabbing a hold of the iron rod he impaled the evidently racist creature with and pushes it towards the wooden door.

Managing to pin the Clown to the door with the rod, backing away quickly enough before the clown can take a swipe at him.

“HOLY FUCK!” Both Georgie and Sabrina can hear a mixture of screams from behind the door.

The others...

“GUYS!” Georgie yells as the clown starts to move, moving its entire body through the iron rod as if it was a disfigured kebab.

“DON’T COME IN HERE, DON’T!” Georgie grabs a hold of his aching arm as the door suddenly suddenly bursts open.

Alec, Mia, Wanda, Sara and Stan all appearing at the exact same time.

“SABRINA!” Sara nearly starts crying in relief as she sees her new friend on the ground, still alive.

“Oh FUCK!” She shouts upon seeing the clown trying to free itself from its impaled state upon the door they just walked through.

“OH FUCK NO! WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT? WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!” Stan is screaming at the sight of the clown as Alec, Stan, Sara, Wanda and Mia all make near inhuman sounds at the sight of the clown and run towards Georgie.

“GEORGIE!” Mia cries at the sight of seeing he brother alive, yet the clown frees itself before Mia can reach the others and extends its arm to catch her by the throat.

“GET OFF MY SISTER YOU RACIST FUCK!” Georgie screams, about ready to take the clown on with his bare hands, only to be held back by Sara and Alec.

“You can’t take that thing head on, that’s suicide!” Alec warns him, trying to think quickly as his eyes meet Mia’s terrified ones.

“Gotcha!” The Clown suddenly extends its other arm, coiling it around Sabrina, who had been planning an attack from the side.

“You thought you could sneak up on me did ya? Me? The Eater of Worlds? You really are no Henry Bowers are you?” The l clown uses his claw to shake Sabrina, slamming her face first into a wall.

“Get off her!” Mia whispers as she fights against the hold this terrifying thing has on her.

She may feel as if she’s going to be paralysed by fear right now, but she won’t let this thing hurt any of the people on this room.

“I can smell your fear. Your delicious fear.” The clown growls in a menacing way as it turns its entire face towards her.

Licking her cheek with its long tongue in a deliberately slow motion causing Mia to tremble even more and gag.

“Billy? Billy Denbrough and the Farm boy....” The clown begins to shudder itself and it’s talons scrape across Mia’s neck painfully which causes her to cry out.

“What the fuck do we do? What the fuck is that thing?!” Stan grabs a hold of Wanda’s arm, keeping close to Sara, Georgie and Alec.

“Who me? Well I’m Pennywise. The Dancing Clown. Eater of Worlds.” IT introduces itself to the teens with a sickening grin.

“Eater of fucking ass!” Sabrina growls as she tries to force herself free, blood pouring down her face from where she was forcibly shoved into the wall.

“Oh little Bowers how I would very much like to make you float. Your fear... it’s unexpected, exquisite...”

Sabrina shudders and holds back vomit as Pennywise leers at her.

“Shit, shit, shit.” Alec starts to fumble with his pockets, his back pocket.

Where the spray is still...

“I don’t know if I want you to go to waste. You could become something more, little Bowers. Wouldn’t you like that? Isn’t that what you want? To be something more? You can choose another way. You could kill...”

“FUCK YOU! I AM NOT MY FATHER, yeah, sure I’m Sabrina fucking Bowers, but I am nothing like that monster.” Sabrina practically screams at the clown.

“No of course not and you know why don’t you? Should I tell them, little Bowers? Should I tell them your secret? Your dirty little secret.” Pennywise hisses in a disturbing sing song voice.

“No... NO!” Sabrina starts, but Pennywise launches Sabrina into the wall again to silence her.

“No, of course you don’t want people to know how you feel about girls and only girls, yes? You don’t want anyone to know that do you?” Pennywise shakes Sabrina, who’s eyes fill up with tears and it’s not just because of the fact that she is in a lot of pain. 

That thing just told...

How could IT. How...

“And?! We don’t care you homophobic piece of shit!” Sara advances on the clown, just as Alec jumps forward and sprays IT with the plant water.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? WAS THAT FUCKING WATER?!” Stan screeches like a banshee.

“Yeah and I believe it’s gonna fucking hurt, because I believe that it’s gonna fucking hurt.” Alec hisses as everyone looks at him in horror.

“Fucking BITCH!” He screams as he continues to spray the clown directly into it’s ugly face.

The last thing Georgie, Mia, Wanda, Stan, Sara and Sabrina expected was for anything to happen, let alone the clown beginning to scream as if it were acid that Alec just sprayed in its face.

It forces IT to drop Mia and Sabrina though, the claw creating a rather deep diagonal scratch across her neck as it drops her.

“MIA!” Alec and Georgie surge forward to help her up off the ground as Sara races forward to grab Sabrina.

“SHIT FUCK!” Sara yells as the clown takes a swing at them.

Managing to tear a cut into Sara’s side as she moves to try and protect Sabrina from the claw which causes her to scream out in pain.

“COME ON!” Stan yells as he and Wanda move to grab both Sabrina and Sara.

The seven of them taking off and running as fast as their legs will carry them towards what appears to be a normal front door.

“HOLY FUCK, IT’S THE WAY OUT! COME ON!” Stan pushes his way through the door, breathing in the blissful scent of fresh, Derry air as he pulls himself, Sabrina, Sara and Wanda who is holding onto and pulling Georgie who is holding onto Mia with Alec out of the house and down the jagged lane surrounded by masses of dead grass.

“OHH MY GOD, OHH MY GOD, OHH MY GOD!”

“SHIT!”

“HOLY SHIT!”

“FUCK!”

“HOLY FUCK! HOLY FUCK! SHIT!” Georgie, Mia, Wanda, Alec, Stan, Sara and Sabrina are screaming as they force themselves down the path and straight out onto the road.

“WHERE THE FUCK ARE WE?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT IN GODS FUCKING NAME WAS THAT?!” Stan is screeching as Sabrina turns to take a peak at the place they just left.

“Neibolt House... Holy fuck, we were in a crackheads den.” Sabrina whispers.

“SOME KINDA CRACKHEADS DEN?!”

“Seriously, FUCKING PRIORITIES!” Sara groans at her brother whilst pressing her hand to her bleeding and extremely painful side wound.

“We need to get the fuck outta here, right fucking now! Oh FUCK!” Georgie runs his hand through his short hair, wincing at the pain in his arm from where the clown nearly tore it off.

“Come on.” Wanda starts to walk slowly down the street.

“WHERE ARE WE GOING?!”

“AWAY FROM HERE!” Wanda screams suddenly.

“Anywhere away from here.”

The seven teens feel as if they must have been walking for at least half an hour before Stan stops in the middle of the sidewalk.

“We don’t know where the fuck we are. Where the fuck we’re going and we almost got fucking killed by some kinda fucking supernatural shit! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?” Stan just screams at the others, unable to contain his anxiety and fear any longer.

He’s going to break, this is going to give him an entire breakdown.

What the fuck is this place and why did that just fucking happen?

“I don’t know man, wish I fucking did.” Sara groans through the pain she’s experiencing, keeping her hand pressed tightly into the wound on her side in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

“Hey, here. Let me...” Sara lifts her free hand to turn Sabrina’s head as gently as she can, hissing when she sees the bruising around Sabrina’s mouth and cheeks and the blood pouring from Sabrina’s bruised nose.

“Your leg...”

“Fucking hurts like an asshole.” Sabrina murmurs before glancing at the others, wincing when it causes her pain to turn her head.

“I’m from here, I know how to get back to the townhouse.” Sabrina tells them.

“Well, that’s something. That is something. Holy fuck our parents are going to kill us. We left the hotel and now we look like roadkill.” Stan buries his head into his horrifyingly dirty hands.

“Dad’s gonna have a fucking aneurism.”

“Which one?” Sara mutters.

“Both of them!”

“Yeah we are fucked!” Georgie moans, wincing at the cut on his arm before turning to Mia.

“Fuck, Mia, that’s...” Georgie winces at the blood running down her throat from the diagonal cut on her neck.

It does look worse than it is though, it’s not that deep of a cut fortunately.

“It’s bad isn’t it?” Mia whispers, keeping her head up so she doesn’t have to even look at the wound. 

“It looks worse than it is.” Alec tries to assure the very frightened Mia.

“You’re gonna get some kind of disease. She’s going to get some kind of disease. We’re all gonna get some kinda disease! I ran through a germ filled maze, Sara you’re literally bleeding out onto the sidewalk, Mia’s nearly had her throat slit open, your arm’s bleeding, Georgie, Sabrina can barely move her leg and her face is a goddam mess, Wanda is covered in blood that came from god knows where and has fucking nasty cuts around her mouth and Alec, your head’s bleeding dude, holy fuck someone’s gonna die.” Stan runs his hands through his hair as the panic sets in.

“What happened?” Georgie reaches out towards Wanda, noticing the cuts around her lips for the first time.

“Something got wrapped around my mouth. It dug... It dug deep.” She admits as Mia turns to Alec, standing up on tiptoes so she can take a look at his head wound.

“The back of your head’s bleeding. You hit it?” Mia guesses.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s not so bad, my vision is better...”

“Wait. Hold the fuck up, you vision is off?!! You have a fucking concussion! Holy fucking shitballs we have to go to the hospital right now.”

“And say what, Stan? How the fuck do we explain this?” Sara gives him a look.

“You know we could actually bullshit our way in. I mean, there has been clown sightings all around the world this year and some of them have been nasty.” Georgie comments.

“Okay, we’re not doing that.” Sara states.

“Yeah, we just need to get back to the townhouse, back to our parents and pray they don’t kill us and actually believe that we got attacked by a killer supernatural clown. Or we could use Georgie’s story.” Wanda suggests.

“They’re never gonna believe us.” Stan states plainly.

“I don’t know about that.” Sara murmurs, something having bothered her greatly.

Something that makes her think that her parents might understand...

Alec doesn’t say anything, because he knows that his dad will understand.

He went through the exact same thing with his friends twenty seven years ago.

Alec definitely wants to meet whoever his dad’s friends are now.

He has to know how they handled that.

That motherfucking clown.

“Now.” Georgie sighs a little, letting Mia squeeze the life out of his hand.

“Now we’ve just got to find our way back to the townhouse.”

“Man, I’m fucking starving.” Sara murmurs.

“We could always stop somewhere to eat on the way, I know a place where no one will ask questions.” Sabrina quietly announces.

Unsure of how to talk to her new acquaintances now that that horrifying clown told them her secret.

However, after seeing how they reacted, Sabrina doesn’t feel that afraid anymore.

“Yeah, no we’re going straight back to the townhouse. Our parents will be losing their goddam minds!” Stan makes rapid hand gestures.

“Stan Tozier.” Sara rests her free hand on his shoulder.

“Our parents will be out drinking until the early hours of the morning. They’re gonna be gone for hours. We can stop for a snack.” Sara pats his shoulder, before turning to face the others.

“Alright, we let Sabrina find us food, we eat, we get back to the townhouse and clean ourselves up and we just wait for our parents to come back and when they do?” Sara pauses for a moment, wincing a little as she forces her fingers back into the wound on her side to quell the bleeding some more.

“We lie to their faces and pray to fucking god that they never learn the truth of what happened to us out here tonight.”

When the seven Losers have finally consumed all of the food prepared for them, the waitress returned and places a large bowl of fortune cookies in the middle of the table.

“Seriously, Beverly your fashion line is impressive. My wife was so excited when she finally brought something from it.” Stanley calls to Beverly as she’s filling up her own and Richie’s drink, despite Eddie’s protests that Richie has had more than enough to drink.

“What did she get?”

“This really beautiful dress. She looks lovely in it.” Stan passes her his phone to show her the picture of Patty wearing the dress Beverly had designed.

She’d worn it to Stanley’s works party in that picture.

“If she wants anything else from it, I’ll send it to her.” Beverly promises.

“Seriously? Beverly, you don’t...”

“Stanley I haven’t seen you in nearly thirty years. Please let me do something nice for you and your family. That goes for all of you, if you or your kids want any clothes from my line, I’ll send you some.” Beverly announces.

“Our friend, Audra, it’s all she wears.” Mike remarks.

“Said it’s h.h.half her c.c.closet.” Bill adds reviving a beaming smile from Beverly in response.

“Audra as in the actor, Audra Phillips?”

“They very same.” Mike nods.

“Isn’t she working on your next film adaption?” Beverly queries.

“Yes.” Bill nods, wincing internally at the thought of the movie he’s literally abandoned to come to Derry with Mike and the kids.

Audra is definitely going to have something to say when they get back.

He hopes to god Mia and Georgie haven’t answered one of her calls, even though he does feel bad about ignoring her and making the kids ignore her too, seeing as they do love their aunt.

“Hey, Ben and I saw your first movie. It was so good.”

“Really?”

“It was so good.” 

“Yeah.” Ben nods in agreement.

“It was so scary...”

“And y.y.you hated the e.e.ending too?” Bill guesses.

Beverly just laughs.

“It wasn’t terrible.” Ben calls to him.

“Promise.”

“I mean...”

“Beep. Beep Richie.” Mike gives him a look.

“It kinda was, I’m sorry.” Beverly admits.

“Yep.” Bill nods, having expected that, before looking off into space.

Except he’s not thinking about how most of his friends, including his husband dislike how he ends his books, he’s thinking about how surreal this is that they’re all sat in this restaurant, talking to one another like they haven’t mostly been apart for twenty seven years. 

It’s weird, it really is and from the similar look on Stanley’s face which Bill notices when he catches his eye, he realises that he’s not alone in feeling this way.

“What? What’s going on?” Beverly glances between Bill and Stanley.

“Oh nothing, this is just weird.” Bill admits.

“Really weird.” Stan agrees.

“We shouldn’t have forgotten this. How we feel about each other, all those memories... This shouldn’t have happened and...” Stanley doesn’t know what to say.

Does he mention IT?

Are Bill, Ben, Beverly, Eddie and Richie even aware of why they’re here right now? Why they can’t remember?

How is this going to come to a head?

“He’s right, all this. All these memories, everyone here. People I love that I can’t even remember forgetting...” Bill trails off.

“It is weird right? Like, I’ve been with Beverly for the past twenty seven years and I just keep thinking that if I hadn’t that I’d have forgotten her because I forgot all you guys. I didn’t want to, I don’t even know how I did because you guys mean a lot to me, jesus I love you guys.” Ben pauses for a moment.

“I forgot all of this, but now I’m here. Now we’re all here.” Ben gestures to the Losers.

“Everything just keeps coming back faster and faster, I mean all of it.” 

“Yeah. I’m glad. I’ve had the happiest of years, but now I just keep thinking that they would have been even better if you guys had been there too.” Beverly admits.

“It’s weird. It’s crazy. I forgot all of you.” Stanley admits in a quiet voice.

“As Ben said, you and he stayed together, Bill and Mike stayed together and so did Richie and Eddie. I forgot all of you for twenty seven years, but as soon as I got that...” Stanley isn’t entirely certain how to word this.

“That phone call.” He finishes there.

There’s no way. No way that he can tell them what he was about to do and why.

What he would’ve done if Alec hadn’t have found out.

No, that’s staying between him and Alec.

They cannot know what he was prepared to do...

“You know when Mike called me, I threw up.” Richie announces to everyone but Eddie’s surprise.

“I’d just finished my show when you called and all I remember was vomiting over the fire escape and then again when I got home.” Richie glances to Mike.

“It was so weird. Like I got nervous. Me. I’d literally just done a show to thousands of people just fine, but when I got that call I got sick and I threw up.” Richie tries to laugh it off a little as Bill and Stanley flash him worried glances.

“Yeah, I got home and he was just lying on the bed holding a bucket.” Eddie nods.

“Bet that freaked you out. Did you yell at him for being on the bed with the bucket?” Beverly tries to lighten up the conversation.

“Oh, it was disgusting and I hated it and I was definitely quick to move it as soon as I was sure he wasn’t going to throw up again, but honestly? Whilst germs and all that is still a thing for me, I’ve had two kids and a Richie. I’m pretty much immune to whatever it is they do at this point.” Eddie comments.

“I’m feeling fine now.” Richie assures Eddie mainly and the others.

“Yeah, I feel just fine now. I feel very relieved to be here with you guys...” Richie trails off, a little anxious as to why Beverly, Stanley, Bill, Mike and Ben are looking at him in the way they are and decides to address it head on.

“Why are you all looking at me like this?”

“I didn’t know what to think when Mike called me. It was as if I was remembering so much but also feeling so lost, so empty at the same time.” Stanley chooses to admit.

It’s not the full truth, but it has to be said.

“Rich knows already, but when Mike called me I crashed my car with my son in it.” Eddie reveals quietly.

“Seriously?” Bill’s eyes widen instantly to immediate whispers from the rest of the Losers.

“Man, I hear you. I mean Beverly looked like she’d seen a ghost and my heart was literally like pounding right out of my chest. I was pretty much having a full on panic attack when Bev and Wanda found me.” Ben admits to a nod from Beverly.

“When Mike told me about all this when we got home, it was like pure f.f.f...” Bill is unable to even finish his sentence.

“Fear.” Mike helps him out, resting a hand over his husband’s with regret and sorrow in his eyes.

“It’s fear.” Mike clarifies.

“What you felt. What we all felt.” 

“I t.t.tried to t.t.talk to y.y.you about t.t.this before d.d.didn’t I? I c.c.couldn’t make s.s.sense out of any o.o.of it. W.W.Why I f.f.felt like t.t.that.” Bill stutters to an immediate reaction from Mike, who’s face falls.

He hates it.

He hates himself for doing this to his husband.

To his friends.

Fuck this is bad...

“W.W.Why do we all f.f.feel like this, Mikey?” Bill presses, keeping his eyes locked on his husband’s.

“Y.Y.You remember something we don’t, d.d.don’t you M.M.Mike?” Bill guesses.

“Yes.” Stanley murmurs in an almost hoarse tone of voice.

“He remembers all of it, because when I got that call we talked about it, because I. I think I remember more than you guys do to. I. I don’t know why, but I think I might have gotten the uh. The worst memories back first. I remembered...” Stanley stops himself, his hands beginning to shake out of control.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Both Eddie and Richie reach towards Stanley instantly, worry evident in their eyes.

“Something happens to you when you leave this town.” Mike states, drawing all the attention right back to him.

“The further away you get, the hazier it all gets for you. For me? I kept leaving myself notes, reminders to come back to Derry. When I was at college I’d go back nearly every weekend. I chose the job I did so I could easily come back here. As I was telling Bill, I didn’t lie to him. I was going out there and saving libraries, but I was based here, in Derry. I was coming back here every week so that I wouldn’t forget, so yeah. I remember. I remember all of it.” Mike reveals a summary of what he’d tried to tell Bill to the stunned others.

“Pennywise.” Beverly whispers after several moments of complete, uneasy silence.

Her memories returning to her of the thing that has haunted her every nightmare for the past twenty seven years.

The thing is a clown, Pennywise the clown. 

It was Pennywise that killed Ben and all her friends in her dreams.

It was always Pennywise...

“Oh the fucking clown.” Eddie suddenly catches on, his memories flooding back to him too in harsh waves.

“Oh shit.” Ben whispers as Stanley just buries his head in his hands and starts shaking whilst Richie looks at Eddie and whispers the clowns name.

“Pennywise.”

The thing that had caused him to feel the way he did ever since Mike called him.

One of the major reasons why he didn’t want to come back to this shit hole.

This is it. This is what he’d feared the most.

Feeling incredibly and suddenly nauseous again, Richie presses his hands to his mouth.

“Oh, Rich...” Eddie glances towards him.

“Mikey, when w.w.we were at h.h.home, you said you n.n.needed our help with something w.w.what was t.t.that?” Bill slides his hand out from underneath Mike’s.

All he can think of is that Mia and Georgie are at the hotel, alone.

He and Mike left them alone.

Just like he let his little brother, his little brother Georgie leave the house alone to go and play on a rainy day...

No. 

No, no, no, no.

“There’s an echo here in Derry and it bounces back every twenty seven years...”

“What are you taking about?” Eddie tries to take deep breaths as he keeps a watchful eye on Richie.

“Hold on, listen, listen.” Mike holds a hand up to silence a panicking Eddie.

“No I don’t wanna...”

“No, no, we thought we stopped IT back then.” Mike states, trying to jog their memories.

“We thought IT was done, but...” Mike pauses to pull a book out of his satchel.

“Mike...” Richie starts, trying to keep himself from throwing up again as Mike starts to flick through the pages of the book.

His diary... Bill realises as the others look on at Mike in horror as Bill quickly takes the journal from his husband.

“A week ago. A man, Adrian Melon, slaughtered. A girl...” Mike is cut off by the protests of his friends. 

“Mike.” Richie is slowly shaking his head.

“Lisa, went missing from a care home the other night. There have already been others and there will be more!” Mike raises his voice over his friends protests.

“It’s alright, it’s alright calm. Calm down...” Ben tries to make himself heard over the protests of Eddie and Richie.

“I need another drink.” Richie murmurs.

“Yeah. I.I.I need a.a.another.” Bill runs his hands through his hair, remembering his argument with Mike vividly now.

How Mike has been handling this for years, how he brought some of his research home...

How Mia was exposed to it...

“M.M.Mike...” He turns to his husband.

“Bill, I’m sorry. Guys, I am sorry.” Mike holds out his hands, trying to quell his friends protests.

“Let him explain. Let him explain.” Ben tries to act as the peacemaker despite the fact that he’s internally losing his shit too because they are in the town where Pennywise is and he and Beverly left their daughter in that hotel all alone...

“That echo?” Mike continues once Ben has managed to calm everyone down enough to hear him out.

“We might have changed IT, just like IT changed us.” Mike stops and glances at Stanley who raises his head for a second, shaking his head as tears begin to drip down his cheeks.

Tears of fear.

Pure, inescapable fear that’s all coming back to him in harmful waves.

“But we didn’t stop IT, because IT just bounced back.” Mike looks at each one of his friends faces and his husband’s face in turn.

“We made an oath. Alright, that’s why I brought you all back. To finish IT for good.” Mike reveals to nothing but expressions of pure horror from all of his friends and his husband.

“Bill...” Mike mouths, but Bill pulls out of his reach as Beverly breathes heavily, Ben looks down at the table and Eddie appears to be pretty much rocking back and forth in his chair.

“Fuck.” Stanley bites his nails until they bleed.

“Well that shit got dark fast.” Richie declares.

“Thanks Mike.” He murmurs as Eddie grabs a fortune cookie just so he has something to do with his anxious hands.

“My fortune cookie just says ‘did’.” Eddie scoffs, trying to lighten up to conversation a little.

“Mine just says welcome.” Ben snorts.

“Yeah, mines fucked as well. Don’t think they know how to do fortune cookies here, mines just says ‘you’.” Richie adds.

“M.M.Mind throwing t.t.those over here?” Bill murmurs, his eyes fixated on his own piece of paper from the fortune cookie.

“What you got Mike?” Eddie queries as Bill takes the piece of paper from between his husband’s fingers.

“Bill.” Stanley collects both his and Ben’s before handing them over to Bill, barely even able to pass them over because his hands are shaking that bad.

Bill stands, taking a deep breath as he does as he spreads the small pieces of paper out in front of him.

‘Me’. ‘You’. ‘Home.’ ‘Did’ ‘Miss.’ and ‘Welcome.’ 

Taking another, much more shaky breath this time because if he’s right then all hell’s about to break loose, Bill starts to move the pieces of paper around.

“Oh shit.” Stan whispers, which is when Eddie and Richie catch on to what Bill’s doing and rise to their feet immediately.

“What?”

“What the...”

“Did you not?” Richie reads some of the words quietly.

“Fuck.” Stan runs his hands through his hair as Beverly starts to tremble.

“It’s a message...”

“Not n.n.now M.M.Mikey.” Bill whispers.

“Did you miss welcome home me?” Richie bites down on his lip as he tries to get his head around what all this could possibly mean.

“Why would it be ‘Did you miss welcome home me?’” Eddie interjects, both he and Richie starting to bicker over the word ordering.

“No, it goes ‘welcome home.’” Ben moves two of the letters himself.

“Why though? I think it’s ‘Did you miss me welcome home.’” Richie orders the words.

“Who’s it talking about though? Is it talking about IT? What...” Eddie runs his hands through his hair.

“Why would it be in this order though? Is there something we’re missing?” Ben questions.

“That’s what I’m talking about. That’s what...” Mike points at the words with a look of pure horror etched upon his face as Bill, Eddie, Ben and Richie argue amongst themselves.

“Did you fuck with the fortune cookies Mike?”

“No...”

“Of course he didn’t. This isn’t him. Shit, this isn’t... This is fucking IT. It’s fucking IT!” Stanley glances at Mike, the two exchanging a similar look.

“What do you mean? What do you know about this Stanley? How do you know so much?” Eddie turns on him.

“I don’t. I don’t know. My memories just came back to me as soon as I got the phone call. Whatever this is...”

“It’s...”

“Fucking insane!” Richie cuts both Stanley and Mike off.

“Woah, woah, whoa. Let them speak. Let them speak.” Ben raises his hands in an attempt to keep the peace again.

“This is not me, this is what IT does...”

“I need my FUCKING INHALER!” Eddie growls.

“What is wrong with you, man? Why did you call us?!” Richie is shouting at Mike as Stan and Bill suddenly become fixated on how Beverly isn’t moving.

“This is not fucking funny!”

“This is SO not funny!” Eddie agrees with Richie just as Bill whispers Beverly’s name.

“You didn’t give us your piece.” Stan whispers.

Beverly presents it then, her piece of paper from the fortune cookie.

The small piece of paper with the word ‘Losers’ printed on it.

“Shit...” Stan whispers again as Beverly begins to tremble.

With the missing word, Bill is able to form what he believes to be the correct and most coherent sentence.

‘Welcome. Home. Losers. Did. You. Miss. Me?’

“Does that say Losers? What the fuck is this? Mike!” Eddie snaps at him.

“Eddie, how is this Mike? How could this possibly be Mike? This is IT. It’s the fucking clown! Someone grab another fortune cookie. Go on, someone grab another fortune cookie!” Stanley yells and Beverly is the one that moves to grab one, breaking it open to present a new piece of paper.

“This... This one says ‘Hello.’” Beverly whispers as she presents it.

“So, so what? Now it’s ‘Hello. Welcome. Home. Losers. Did. You. Miss. Me’ how does this change anything? It doesn’t change shit, Beverly!” Richie yells as Ben breaks apart his second fortune cookie.

“Ben?” Beverly notices the terrified look on her partner’s face immediately.

Pure terror, the likes of which she has never seen before in his eyes. 

“Ben w.w.what does the o.o.other one s.s.say?” Bill enquires.

“Honey?” Beverly reaches out towards him as Ben just tightens his hold on the piece of paper. 

“Everyone grab another one.” He whispers.

“Ben?”

“JUST DO IT! Do it, alright! Oh shit.” Ben lets the small piece of paper fall from his fingers, Beverly takes it from him immediately and let’s out a gasp, bringing both of her hands to her mouth.

“Fuck.” Mike pinches the bridge of his nose with his fingers the second he reads the piece of paper.

Bill physically staggers backwards when he reads his.

“Shit, shit. Oh no... No.” Stan begins to cry as he opens up his second fortune cookie.

“What the fuck is going...” Eddie let’s out a cry when he reads the piece of paper in his second fortune cookie.

“Fuck. Oh fuck. Fucking no!” Richie runs his hands through his hair, dropping the piece onto the table.

“This isn’t me.” Mike sniffs through his own choked back tears.

“How can this be me?”

“The table, put them on the table right now, give them to me.” Bill whispers, practically throwing himself against the table as he places his piece of paper down.

Collecting the others as quickly as he can before realising that he can now form two full sentences.

The first.

‘Welcome. Home. Losers. Did. You. Miss. Me?’

The second...

‘Hello. Georgie. Mia. Wanda. Alec. Stan. Sara.’

Beverly has tears dripping down her cheeks as she keeps her hands pressed to her mouth.

Ben is rocking back and forth in his chair.

Mike is forcing back his tears.

Stanley is just letting his tears stream down his cheeks.

Richie is on his phone.

Bill is nearly tearing his hair out.

Eddie is angry.

“Why do those pieces of paper have our kids names written on them? Why are our kids names on these things? CAN SOMEONE ELSE FUCKING ANSWER ME?!” Eddie yells as Richie is dialling Stan’s number.

It doesn’t even go to voicemail. 

It’s the exact same story when he rings Sara.

“They’re not answering. They’re... They’re not answering me, why aren’t they answering me! FUCK!” Richie screams.

“THEY’RE NOT FUCKING ANSWERING!”

“IT knows. IT knows about them...” Mike starts to call Georgie only to receive nothing.

“Mikey. Mikey, Mia isn’t... She’s not... Georgie.” Bill pulls at his hair as he stares at his husband.

“I can’t... I can’t...” Mike can barely even speak.

“NO!” Ben bellows, practically throwing his phone at the table.

“Can’t get though...”

“No...” Beverly whispers.

“I can’t get through to her!”

“WHY THE FUCK AREN’T THEY ANSWERING?!? WILL SOMEONE ELSE FUCKING ANSWER ME? WHOA!” Eddie jumps the second the table starts to vibrate.

“Holy shit.” He whispers as the fortune cookies begin to shake.

One of them jumping out of the bowl too close to Beverly for her own liking.

Which is when it starts to crack open like some kind of egg.

“Oh what the fuck is that, man?” Richie runs his hands through his dark curls as something sinister begins to hatch from the fortune cookie.

“Oh my god.” Richie groans in horror as some kind of insect crawls out of the fortune cookie.

“W.W.Whoa...” Bill starts to move back as the creature unfolds itself.

The thing has the head of a small newborn baby, but the body of what could only be described as a fat slug crossed with an insect.

It lets out a newborn like cry and advances towards Mike.

“Mikey!” Bill reaches out towards his husband who near enough falls out of his chair in an attempt to get away from the thing.

“Whoa, whoa!” Bill grimaces immediately, both Beverly and Ben starting to back away from the table as more fortune cookies begin to shake and jump out of the bowl.

“Shit. No, no, not this again, no, no, no.” Stanley covers his mouth with his hands as he starts to back away from the table as quickly as possible.

“Shit!” Richie jumps when one of the fortune cookies jumps out right in front of him and hatches into an actual eyeball.

A whole goddam fucking eyeball.

“HEY! HEY! THAT FORTUNE COOKIE’S LOOKING AT ME! SHIT!” Richie yells as he backs into the wall, a terrified look forming upon his face as Beverly shrieks and moves to shield Ben as the insect like creature starts to take flight.

“I don’t want to be here, I can’t fucking do this.” Eddie places his hands against his head as a wing breaks free from another one of the fortune cookies.

“Shit, oh shit, shit, SHIT!” Stanley is practically crying as there are tears in his eyes.

“I need to go home, I can’t fucking be here.” Eddie is crying too as Ben and Beverly push him behind them.

“Richie!” Eddie calls out for his husband and the only thing that stops Richie from going to him is the fact that several of the horrifying specimens start to jump up off of the table.

“Oh shit!” Eddie cries, watching as the eyeball slides towards Richie and the creature with wings heads for him, Beverly and Ben.

“Oh hey, FUCK!” Richie pushes himself into the wall as the eyeball approaches him.

“SHIT!” Beverly yells as the winged creature suddenly flies at herself, Ben and Eddie.

Both she and Ben waving their hands around in an attempt to swat away the creature that most definitely wants to kill them.

“EDDIE!” Fear fills Richie’s voice as he realises that he is helpless to stop his husband from being attacked by that thing.

“Motherfucker...” Stanley practically cries as a lava like substance begins to pour out of the bowl.

A substance that brings sudden memories back to both Richie and Bill.

Memories of the house.

The substance they had to escape from in the Neibolt House...

A winged creature aims straight at Bill and Mike grabs his husband’s arm, trying to shield him from any attack whilst batting away the creatures.

“OH FUCK!” Bill screams when he realises that the fish in the aquarium behind both him and Mike have morphed into nightmarish creatures too.

“Shit!” Mike pulls Bill away from the aquarium, trying to clear his mind so he can focus.

Focus on the fact that this isn’t real.

It’s the clown. The damn fucking clown.

This isn’t real...

“This isn’t real.” He says aloud.

“THIS ISN’T REAL!” He practically screams. 

“IT’S NOT REAL!” Mike grabs a chair and begins slamming it into the table to squash the creatures.

“IT’S NOT REAL! IT’S NOT REAL!” He screams over and over again whilst hammering the table with the chair, taking out as many of the fortune cookie monsters as he possibly can.

Doing something that distracts them enough to allow Eddie to run towards Richie, who immediately catches his husband in his arms, shielding him with his body.

“IT’S NOT REAL! IT’S NOT REAL...”

“Is everything all right?” The waitress appearing out of thin air forces them back to reality.

Beverly clutches on to Ben’s arm tightly.

The waitress can’t see anything but Mike holding a chair over a smashed up table.

She can’t see the guts of the creatures he’s just destroyed.

It wasn’t real.

It was the clown.

The goddam fucking clown.

Ben presses his lips to her head and Beverly grips his arm as tight as she possibly can without hurting him.

Mike holds the chair in mid air as he stares at the waitress, Bill standing behind him.

Stanley has practically curled up into himself in the corner and Eddie has moved so he has his face pressed up against Richie’s chest, who is shielding him and fortunately for them all, Richie is the only one able to form actual words.

“Yeah. Yeah, can we get the check?” Richie makes a nervous gesture with one hand, whilst rubbing Eddie’s back with the other.

The waitress just stares at them for a moment, before making a hasty exit.

“Fuck...” Ben breathes the second she’s gone.

“Are you okay?” Beverly leans up on tiptoes to check Ben for any injuries, before he buries his face into her shoulder.

“You?” He murmurs whilst holding her close.

“I don’t know.” Bev whispers, glancing towards Mike, who reaches out towards Bill, who latches onto his arm.

“S.S.Stan?”

Stanley isn’t moving, he’s just rocking back and forth in the corner, his eyes filling up with tears.

A fearful look in his eyes that immediately breaks Richie’s heart as it’s the same look Stan had in his eyes twenty seven years ago when he nearly got his face chewed off by the scary painting.

“Rich, holy fuck, are you okay?!” Eddie cups Richie’s cheeks in his hands, checking for any injuries.

“No I’m not fucking alright, shit!” Richie breathes as he kisses Eddie’s forehead and pulls his husband back into his arms, holding his hand out towards Stan, who takes it and allows Richie to carefully manoeuvre him into a standing position.

“F.F.Fuck.” Bill glances once at Mike before at the rest of the Losers.

“F.F.Fuck.”

It’s incredibly fortunate that Bill, Mike, Ben, Beverly, Eddie and Richie are millionaires as the check they have to pay is a huge one.

“That’s what Pennywise does, right? He fucks with us so our kids are probably fine, they’re fine, back at the townhouse. Pennywise probably fucked with the phone lines or some shit?” Eddie is trying to make sense of matters.

“Fuck, Mikey...” Is all Bill can say to his husband as they’re heading out of the restaurant.

Mike and Bill both immediately pulling their phones out to try and call Georgie and Mia again as they do so. 

Ben and Beverly don’t say anything at all, Ben just keeps his arm around Beverly as she tries to call Wanda again.

“It’s okay Stan. I told you, we wouldn’t let anything happen to you. We’re here for you. We’re here now.” Richie is trying to assure a Stanley engulfed in shock, as Eddie is trying to get an answer from Little Stan, using his spare hand to hold onto Richie’s for dear life as they prepare to leave the restaurant and face whatever horror’s Pennywise has lined up for them now.

Yet, the first thing they’ve gotta do is check on their kids.

Their kids are their top priority.

“Hey, Richie!” A child’s voice calls his name, causing all the Loser’s to turn around in an instant.

“How do you know my name?” Richie murmurs, on edge and cautious even if this is just a kid.

“The fun’s just beginning, right?” The kid smiles in an extremely creepy way.

“Wait. Wait. Wait. That’s...” Eddie starts.

“No.” Stanley grabs Richie’s arm as tightly as he can, pulling him away from the thing that is most likely about to murder him and out of the door with the Losers following them.

He just got his best friend back, there’s no way he’s going to lose him again now.

“Wait... Wasn’t that a line from the show?” Eddie states suddenly when they’re out of the door.

“Ohh yeah, Sara wrote that. Phew, at least we weren’t about to get murdered by a child! He was just a fan.” Richie sighs with relief, wondering momentarily if he should go back and sign something for the kid.

“Richard, how did you forget a line from your own show?” Stan raises an eyebrow at him. 

“I don’t know man, I’m scared out of my fucking mind and I’m kinda drunk!” 

“Wait... H.H.How did we forget t.t.that some of us are c.c.celebrities?” Bill shakes his head at himself as Eddie just groans.

“That fucking clown.”

“Yep.” Mike murmurs, his phone still pressed to his ear as he tries to call Georgie.

“That goddam fucking clown.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am honestly so so sorry about this abomination of a chapter. I kept going over it, but I think this is the best it’s gonna be & I’m so sorry that it’s a load of crap. Again, I feel like I’m disrespecting the great work that is IT but this story will not leave my head. I’ll do everything I can to update as soon as possible, but University is really chewing me out & I’ve got three deadlines to meet for next week. I will try to update soon though. Thank you all so much for the ever so kind kudos & comments, they mean the absolute world to me, so thank you. Thanks again for reading & please do tell me what you all thought about this & comment if you can!


	7. Could This End Worse Then One Of Bill Denbrough’s Books?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whilst the Losers find themselves in a state of panic. Their kids try to find their way back to the townhouse.

I don’t own anything 

“This is so stupid, we should just go straight back to the townhouse.” Stan shakes his head at the group as they both walk and limp down the roads Sabrina leads them down.

“I’m bleeding, in a lotta pain and hungry. I’m gonna eat first then go back. Seriously, Stan. Our parents won’t be back for hours, we can grab something to eat, eat it and go back and clean ourselves up before they do. Then we just...” Sara shakes her head.

“Try to forget?” 

“Nope, no way. I don’t think I’m ever gonna forget that shit.” Georgie states to nods from Wanda, Stan, Mia, Alec and Sabrina.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to.” Alec states in a quiet voice.

“Yeah? Do you mind telling us what you know now, Alec?” Georgie turns on him.

“What. What is he talking about?” Stan looks between Georgie and Alec.

“You did say that...” Mia starts but falls silent, touching her bleeding neck with a wince of pain.

“Alec, what is he talking about? Do you know something we don’t?” Stan presses as Alec runs his fingers through his hair.

“When we got there, you said that... You knew things about where we were.” Wanda whispers.

“I did.” Alec nods.

“What the fuck, man?” Sara’s eyes widen a little.

“Look, all I said was that this.. What we faced, was what my dad talked to me about.” Alec reveals.

“So you knew what that thing was?” An anxious look crossed Sabrina’s face.

“Kinda. It’s hard to explain, but my dad... He and his friends faced that thing, the clown when they lived here,when they were kids. They thought they stopped IT back then, but they didn’t. My dad...” Alec trails off with a sigh.

“My dad told me that they weren’t sure if they had killed that thing or not, so they made a vow, a blood oath to come back here if IT ever came back and kill IT for real. Apparently if they hadn’t killed IT, then IT would come back twenty seven years later and well, obviously that happened. My dad came here to meet his friends, the ones he thought that thing with because he got a phone call from one of them telling him that IT had come back. You see, the thing is, apparently back then no one other then my dad and his friends could see or were affected by the clown unless they were his victims so my dad thought I’d be safe in the hotel, but we exposed ourselves when we went after Sabrina.” Alec finishes his explanation quietly.

“Oh fuck.” Sara murmurs with a horrified look in her eyes.

“Well, I’m really fucking sorry for making you guys a target for the clown. You went in there after me...” Sabrina starts but Wanda shakes her head.

“No that thing was coming after us before we met you. I heard those voices in the sink... That was, that was the clown.” Wanda points out.

“I think I saw IT to, when I woke up. I just... I saw these two yellow dots and now. Now I think they might have been IT’s eyes.” Fearful tears well up in Mia’s eyes.

“Don’t worry about it. We wouldn’t have just walked away from that. No one should get pulled through a wardrobe into a germ infested haunted house and then get killed by clown. Even if it was horrifying and something I never want to do again.” Stan gives Sabrina a light pat on the shoulder.

“I don’t if we can say ‘never again.’ I mean you guys might be fine, but I gotta help my dad and his friends with this. They can’t... Fuck.” Alec shakes his head.

“Hey, Uris, did... This might be a weird question, but...”

“Sara, we just faced a supernatural clown. Can’t get much weirder than that.” Alec laughs lightly.

“Did you dad... Did he always know about the clown and where he came from, or... Or was it like. Was it like he was hearing it for the first time? Shit...” Sara takes her glasses off for a moment to rub at a mark on them.

“What do you mean?” Alec frowns.

“I told you, it’s stupid, but did he tell you that he’d forgotten...”

“Yeah.” Alec finishes her sentence.

“How. How did you know that?”

“Oh shit, oh fuck...” Stan buries his head in his hands.

“Our parents, they told us that they were bringing us here because they wanted to meet up with their friends from childhood, but they’d never told us about this place before and every time, Stan and I ever asked they always told us that they couldn’t remember where they were from, but suddenly they’re remembering that they have these friends that they want to reunite with...” Sara trails off as Alec’s eyes widen.

“Fuck... They reacted super fucking weirdly to these phone calls they got. My dad apparently got sick and My papa, he got this call when we were going for food and he crashed his car. Sure he’s an insane driver with a lot of road rage but he’s never crashed before, but this call he got from some guy called Mike, who apparently is one of the friends...”

“Wait, what?!” Georgie and Mia both turn to Stan in a split second they hear their papa’s name.

“Our papa’s name is Mike. Mike Denbrough-Hanlon. I mean it could be a coincidence, but after all the crazy shit we just went through, I...” Georgie shakes his head.

“Oh fuck, I knew it, I fucking knew it.” Sara mutters.

“When I got separated from you guys, the clown. It showed me some shit. Forced me into this room where there were this fucking weird statues and shit.” Sara pauses for a second, pressing her fingers into the wound on her side that is still bleeding quite a bit.

“I saw this coffin in the middle of the room and on it was this... Honestly, now I’m thinking of it I think it was probably just the clown fucking with me. Showing me shit I’m scared of, but when the clown actually jumped out of coffin, it said something to me. Something that me, Stan and our papa only say to our dad.”

“What?” Stan eyes her nervously.

“He said Beep Beep Sara and we, we only say that to dad and they, they told that they forgot about this place, they forgot about Derry and their friends and Stan, you said that guy who called him was called Mike and that’s the name of Georgie and Mia’s dad? I’m not the smartest gal but fuck guys. That’s way too much of a coincidence.” Sara states.

“Our parents, they know each other, my dad’s friends are your parents. Holy shit...” Alec covers his mouth with both of his hands.

“I thought it must have been some kind of amnesia. I did research and everything because I couldn’t understand how they couldn’t remember but... Holy shit, it wasn’t meant to make sense. The creepy clown took their memories!” Stan gasps.

“My dad is friends with Richie ‘Trashmouth’ Tozier?!” Alec’s eyes widen.

“Seriously? That’s what you focus on here?” Stan rolls his eyes at him.

“Of course. It makes total sense, I mean it doesn’t, none of this does, but my mom and dad? They’re the strongest people I know and I’ve never seen them break about anything before, but the night before they came here they... I went into my dad’s office and he and my mom were sitting on the floor crying.” Wanda admits.

“None of them wanted to come back.” Mia states.

“I don’t know why they bothered. This town is such a shithole.” Sabrina mutters.

“They made an oath.” Alec shrugs.

“An oath they should’ve unmade!” Sara exclaims.

“I don’t not agree with you, but it don’t think it works like that.” Alec replies.

“Fuck.” Sara runs a hand through her hair.

“I can’t believe we didn’t see this. I mean, all our parents came here to go out to a meal with friends. A reunion. How did we not stop and think that maybe they all came to reunite with each other.” Georgie shakes his head.

“I don’t know, man. All I know is that I’m fucking starving. Where’s the best places to grab food from, Sabrina?” Sara glances at the sad eyed teen.

“There’s a pizza place not far from here, we can grab something and go to this place I know where we can chill for a bit?” Sabrina suggests.

“I still don’t like the idea of this guys.”

“No one asked you.” Sara murmurs.

“Question. Does anyone actually have any money?” Georgie enquires.

“Fuck!” Sara groans.

“This is why why papa’s fanny packs are helpful, Sara. For these kind of emergency’s.” Stan makes an exaggerated gesture with his hands.

“Which is why it’s a good thing that I have a couple of them myself and keep cash equally distributed between the three.”

“What the fuck?” Sara raises an eyebrow at him.

“I...” Alec is speechless.

“I cannot believe you have three fanny packs. What... What was the mentality?” Georgie isn’t sure how to phrase the question.

“Being prepared for every eventuality.” Stan shrugs.

“Now, seeing as you guys are adamant that you want the food. Let’s get a move on!”

Sabrina and Stan are elected the ones to go in and grab the food.

Alec, Wanda, Georgie, Mia and Sara has been sceptical about Sabrina going in seeing as she looks like she’s been hit by a car twice, but Sabrina had assured them that no one would ask.

‘Thing is about Derry is that people don’t really ask about that kinda thing’ is what she’d told them before leading Stan into the pizza joint.

They’d returned not long later with two large pizzas with a large bottle of soda and a large bottle of water.

“Where are you talking us?” Alec had enquired whilst volunteering to carry the food with Georgie.

“You’ll see.” Sabrina had replied.

“It better be somewhere safe or I swear to god!” Stan had groaned receiving a frustrated sigh from Sabrina.

“Don’t worry. It’s totally safe.”

“No. No way! I am not going into the fucking woods. Are you fucking crazy?!” Stan screeches on the outskirts of the woods Sabrina had led them too.

“Yeah, I don’t know Sabrina...” Georgie starts in a doubtful tone.

“It’s fine, I promise. It’s totally safe. It’s actually really cool.” 

“Sabrina, no one cares about cool. We care about safety and not getting killed by that goddam clown or whatever else is lurking in this town!” Stan cries.

“I care about cool, I’m down for following you, but are you sure that this is okay? I mean that thing was nasty.” Sara frowns.

“IT’s never bothered me before and I’ve been here loads of times. I used to come to this place when I heard that shit in the bathroom. I know it sounds off, but I think it’s gonna be okay.” Sabrina states to an anxious look from Mia, a horrified look from Stan and uneasiness from Georgie, Wanda and Alec.

“Lead the way.”

“Sara have you lost your fucking...”

“Dude, she went through the exact same thing we did, she wouldn’t take us anywhere that was fucked up.” Sara defends Sabrina’s decision.

“She’s got a point.” Georgie finds himself agreeing.

“Let’s just keep going, okay? We can always run if that fucking clown shows up.” Sara suggests.

“Okay.” Georgie holds a hand up as Sabrina limps up ahead with Sara at her side.

“This is insane. We are all certifiable.” Stan declares as he reluctantly follows the group.

“To be honest, I do feel like I’m losing my mind right now.” Mia admits.

“You’re not. This is just... This is...”

“Fucked up.” Sabrina finishes Alec’s sentence for him.

“She’s right, this is all manner of fucked up.” The still blood coated Wanda remarks.

“We’re going to get through this.”

“How, Uris? How the fuck are we meant to deal with this other than getting the fuck outta dodge the second we’re back with our parents?” Sara enquires.

“This isn’t gonna go away and our parents are going to fight IT.” Alec states.

“No their not. There’s no way my papa is gonna fight a killer clown. I mean sure, he’s got a mean road rage, but I don’t think he’s gonna take on a supernatural killer clown.” Stan remarks.

“I mean he did, twenty seven years ago.” Alec points out.

“I really want to know how that went down. I mean, I can’t picture how it happened or anything, but I just want to know how.” Sara admits.

“Same. I want to know everything.” Georgie agrees.

“I just want to hug my mom and dad. God knows what that thing put them through, what it put any of them through.” Wanda stares blankly ahead as she thinks of how the clown attacked her.

“I know that feeling.” Stan nods.

“Hey, Sabrina?” Georgie calls to her.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t mean to pry or anything like that, but you’re obviously not related to any of us and you told us that you were running away from your place of care here, but. I got there first and I heard what that clown was saying to you. About your...”

“About my father? Shit...” Sabrina stops in her tracks.

“You okay?” Sara automatically reaches out towards her.

“I’m fine. I’m just fucking great.”

“You don’t have to tell us anything.” Mia speaks up quietly.

“Yeah, we don’t care. We also don’t care about what the clown said. You’re awesome, Sabrina and I think I can say this for all of us, we don’t judge. What that piece of shit said is not going to push us away.” Alec gives her a gentle smile.

“Thanks.” Sabrina sniffs a little, blaming it on the fact that she still has a little bit of blood trickling down her nose. 

“You know, I never told anyone about that. Never said a fucking word...” 

“Sabrina...” Sara curls her fingers around her new friend’s thin wrist.

“If you’re gay in Derry, you should really keep quiet about it. I told you this place was a shithole and I meant it. It’s fucked up. I’m glad your dad’s got as far away from here as fucking possible.” Sabrina tries to keep the tears at bay as she glances at both Georgie and Mia and Stan and Sara.

“It’s one of the many reasons I wanted to get out of here and start off some place knew. Another reason was because people judge me for who my father is and I’m just gonna fucking tell you guys. I mean I already told Sara...”

“Compared to psychotic supernatural clown, it’s not that bad?” Sara remarks to a slight smile from Sabrina.

“My father is a complete and utter psychopath.” Sabrina reveals to the others as calmly as she can.

“Shit.” Wanda winces.

“Yeah, it’s shit alright. My father is a fucking psycho. What I’ve heard about him? Well it scares the fucking shit outta me and I’ve never met him, I doubt he even knows I exist and I hope he doesn’t because I’ve always been so fucking scared of him finding me and... I want nothing to do with that guy, okay? I’m fucking terrified of that asshole.” Sabrina states plainly.

“I’ve spent my whole life in care and it’s been shit. Everyone hates me, even though I didn’t do anything wrong, I’ve never done anything to anyone, but no one can let go of the past, no one can look past where I came from instead of actually bothering to get to know who I am.” Sabrina mutters, resentment in her voice.

“Well, we’re not from around here, which is why we know fuck all and don’t care. Sure, that’s really fucking unsettling, but there’s nothing wrong with you, you’re fine. You’re as crazy as my sister...”

“Oh fuck you!” Sara glares at Stan who promptly ignores her.

“But that’s about it, we don’t care where you’re from or if you’re parents are psychos.”

“Yeah, we only care about the person you are now and you’re awesome.” Sara assures her.

“Please don’t think that we’ll ever think any less of you because of all that. We don’t, really. It doesn’t matter at all.” Mia backs Sara up to nods from Alec, Stan, Wanda, Georgie and Sara.

“Yeah, hell yeah. We got your back.” Sara nods to a slight smile from Sabrina.

“I mean you guys did run into a crazy haunted house after I got dragged through the closet by a psycho clown. Thanks for that, by the way.” Sabrina finds herself smiling at all of them.

“We’re the no phone signal party. No one gets left behind and certainly no one gets dragged through a closet by a psycho clown without us having something to say about.” Wanda returns Sabrina’s smile.

“Yeah, we’re in this together now.” Alec agrees.

“All of us.”

“Yeah and if we don’t get a move on our foods gonna be cold, so?” Sara lets go of Sabrina’s wrist, but loops her arm through hers so that they can lean on each other as they limp through the woods.

“Sure.” Sabrina sniffs, a little overcome by emotion.

She’s never experienced this before.

Never had anyone who’s ever given a damn about her.

Never met anyone who knew about her parents and wanted to stick around.

Sabrina has never experienced acceptance or friendship before and she thinks that she might have just experienced both of those things.

That maybe this is what it feels like to have people in her life that care about her.

Sure the uneasiness is still there, which is definitely due to what the clown did to her, but she also feels surprisingly content and that’s all because of the six other people that have been randomly dropped into her life.

“Okay, this should be it. I left a marker for myself somewhere...” Sabrina peers down at the forest floor for her marker.

“We‘re in the middle of nowhere.” Georgie remarks a little nervously.

“Oh yeah, in the middle of nowhere, far away from our parents, wounded and probably getting infections as we breathe, in the woods at fuck knows what time it is right after we almost all got murdered by a gross supernatural clown! Just fucking great.” Stan shakes his head in dismay.

“Got it!” Sabrina tugs triumphantly on a piece of neon pink ribbon.

Undoing the ribbon, Sabrina wraps that around her wrist before pulling on the fragile hatch as carefully as she can.

She’s always been so sure that the hatch is going to cave in one day what with this place being so old.

Lifting the hatch up, Sabrina starts to head down the ladder to the immediate noises of disapproval from the others.

“It’s okay, I swear it’s fine! See? I got a light!” Sabrina limps quickly towards her set up of battery operated lights and turns them all on.

“I don’t like this.” Stan is shaking his head.

“I don’t give a fuck, I wanna eat!” Sara heads toward the ladder first, climbing down it with a groan of pain due to her injury.

“Wow. What the fuck is this? Did you build this, Sabrina?!” Sara’s eyes widen immediately as she turns around to find that she has climbed into what looks like an underground bunker of some kind that is all rustic, wood, metal and nails with a small desk in one far corner which is where the lights are and an old hammock in the other far corner of this insanely cool underground structure.

“Woah!” Wanda gasps as she heads down the ladder too, holding her hands out to take one of the pizza’s from Georgie, passing it to Sara, before taking the other one off of him so he can climb down to.

“Holy shit, this is cool. Oh this is really cool.” Georgie remarks with a grin as he helps take the bottles of water and soda from Alec so he can join them too.

“This is amazing.” Alec beams.

“I mean, my visions a little foggy, but from what I can see? Wow...”

“Wait, your vision is still foggy? Oh fuck, you definitely have a concussion. Is your head still bleeding? We should’ve gone to the hospital!” Stan enters the area purely to check on Alec and immediately looks displeased.

“Wow, this is a death trap. Holy shit we are going to die in here, forget the clown, we’re gonna pick up all kinds of shit from in here.”

“No we’re not. This is cool, Stan. You might not have heard of that concept before but that’s what this is, absolutely fucking awesome!” Sara grins to an annoyed sigh from Stan.

“The majority of us are badly wounded. You are bleeding as we speak, holy shit that looks worse in the light. You’re gonna get an infection down here, we’re all gonna pick something up. I mean haven’t you ever heard of a staph infection?!”

“Chill, Stan. We’re gonna be fine.” Georgie pats his shoulder in passing as he explores the new area around him.

“It’s okay, Mia! Come down.” Georgie calls up to the still anxious Mia.

“It’s not, but we’re all down here anyway.” Stan adds.

“Oh my god, ignore him.” Alec chuckles a little as he walks to the ladder to help Mia down, who whilst startled is also in awe at the place she she’s just entered.

“Okay this is cool. I like this.” Mia touches a wooden pillar with her fingertips.

“I know right? This is awesome.” Alec nudges her gently as Sabrina pulls out plastic cups from a trunk she has made for the stuff she’s kept down here.

Moving a small table out from underneath a shelf afterwards.

“We can put the food on here.”

“Oh hell no!” Stan unzips one of his fanny packs and pulls out some wipes, scrubbing furiously at the table for a good give to ten minutes whilst Georgie sits himself down on a swing seat that looks dangerously close to falling apart, but supports the weight of Georgie anyway.

Wanda sits herself down on the low shelf next to him, Alec dusts off a chair he finds in the corner for Mia to sit down on whilst he sits on the ground next to her, Sara pretty much collapses in the hammock that moves and creaks in an unsettling way and Sabrina lights a few of her candles.

“I still don’t like it, but at least it’s clean.” Stan states as he steps away from the cleaner table.

“And smells really weird, what the fuck is that?” Sara scrunches her noise.

“Antibacterial with a hint of grapefruit.”

“Goddammit Stan.”

“I think we’ve got a spare...”

“No, I’ll stand!” Stan holds both of his hands up, not really wanting to touch any surface of this place with his bare hands.

“Here.” Sabrina passes a cup to each of them, making sure to open the packet up in front of Stan so he doesn’t freak out and allows him to take the first one.

“Did you build this place?” Georgie queries as Alec starts to pour either soda or water in the others cups.

“What? Fuck no. I just found it on one of my walks. Whoever built this place was a fucking genius.” Sabrina remarks.

“It’s old. I think it’s been here a while. Whoever made this is probably long gone.” Mia states.

“I don’t know, I found a broken radio and several others things here that made me think that this place probably wasn’t built like a hundred years ago or something.” Sabrina points out.

“It’s so awesome. How long have you been...”

“Coming here? Oh, it’s been a while. I found this place on a walk, well run. I was trying to avoid these assholes from the home and I fell in here.” Sabrina glances around the area.

“I haven’t changed anything, or opened any of the pots I found here, that wouldn’t have been right, but I found this open trunk that I figured I could keep some shit in. I don’t have stuff really, but I figured it’d be okay to put some cups, a book and some non perishable foods in it. It was just somewhere for me to escape to really. As I said, I didn’t touch anything. I fixed the hammock back but that’s it. This place isn’t mine, didn’t want to wreck it.” Sabrina explains to them as she takes a slice of pizza.

“Well, good going on the hammock. This thing’s comfy.” Sara says around a mouthful of pizza, shifting around a little in the hammock. 

“Does anyone want any handsanitizer to clean their hands with before they eat? I have a two small bottles.” Stan fishes around in his spare fanny pack for his second bottle seeing as he’s doused his hands in the majority of what was left of his first bottle.

Georgie, Mia, Alec and Wanda all accept the handsanitizer to Stan’s delight.

“I have wipes and a few bandages if anyone wants to wrap anything up.”

“It’s okay, we can wait until we get back. We’ve still gotta walk there, back through these woods.” Georgie points out.

“Actually that is a point.” Stan has to agree as Sabrina heads towards the hammock.

“Do you mind if...”

“Yeah sure, if you think it’ll take us both. Your legs a mess, you should have sat down first. Do you want me to get up?” Sara offers.

“No, we can work this out.” Sabrina frowns a little as she tries to slide onto the hammock too.

“Holy fuck! Bad idea!” Sara winces immediately as the hammock starts to swing a little too quickly and she nearly ends up falling out of it.

“We can...” Sabrina hisses as she extends her leg.

“Just bend it a bit.”

“Bend it? I can’t freakin’ bend it Sara!”

“I can’t move much myself. Shit don’t do that! You’re gonna end up putting your foot in my face.”

“I was no where near your face!”

“This was a bad fucking idea.” Sara groans.

“You suggested it!” Sabrina retorts.

“Because we both need to sit down for fucks sake! Just move a bit to the side.” Sara suggests.

“No you move a bit!”

“How, I’ll fall out of the goddam thing!”

Stan, Mia, Alec, Wanda and Georgie all just sit and stare at Sabrina and Sara as they both try to fight there way into finding a happy medium in positioning themselves in the hammock.

“I don’t know. Approach from a different angle?!”

“What different angle is there?!” Sabrina groans before the two of them collapse into the hammock at the same time.

Somehow managing to find themselves in a moderately comfortable position after all that.

“Are you two done?” Stan raises an eyebrow at them only to be immediately flipped off by Sara.

“You good, Sabrina?” 

“Yeah. Sore, but, this is good.” Sabrina nods and Sara moves Sabrina’s injured leg so that it’s basically draped across Sara’s lap in hopes to ease some of her pain.

“How we all feeling about our injuries anyway?” Georgie decides to ask.

“Please be honest. I don’t know where the hospital is around here and if it’s serious...”

“We’re fine, Stan, seriously, my mouths a bit sore from where the hair cut into my mouth but after a long shower I think I’ll be fine.” Wanda shrugs.

“I know I look disgusting and I do not want to see what I look like right now at all so if you all see any mirrors tell me so I can avoid them.” She shudders.

“I’m sorry. Mouth cut with hair?!” Stan looks horrified.

“Yeah, the clown it trapped me in this bathroom with this girl who was weirdly shoving a tape measure down a sink. I didn’t really know how to react to that so I tried to get her attention, which was when hair shot up out of the sink and started to wrap around my entire body so tightly that it cut into my mouth before the sink exploded and covered me with all the blood you see before you now.” Wanda speaks in an almost matter of fact tone.

A state of pure shock.

“Fuck. That’s...”

“Fucking dark, man.” Sara finishes Alec’s sentence.

“Yeah, I mean other than that and the fact that I scraped my knees crawling out of that room and that I think I have some splinters in them now, I’m good. I’m doing better than you are Georgie, what happened to your arm?” Wanda glances towards the still bleeding cut on Georgie’s arm.

“Clown did it. I saw it.” Sabrina states.

“Yeah, that fucking clown did this.” Georgie winces at the deep cut that stings quite badly.

“It was so fucked up. I mean, fuck...” Georgie glances off into the distance and only continues his train of thought when he feels a slight pressure on his hand that turns out to be Wanda resting her blood coated fingers upon the back of his hand.

“It bit me, I think it was trying to tear my arm off. Yet when that happened and holy fuck did that hurt, IT turned on me and said that I wasn’t ‘the real Georgie’. I mean, what the fuck does that mean? That’s just creepy. It. It doesn’t even make any sense. How am I not ‘the real Georgie’ I don’t even know if I want to know the answer to that.” Georgie admits and Wanda squeezes his hand.

“That’s fucked, man. That’s just... Yeah, I wouldn’t ask about that.” Sara remarks.

“Hey, you’re the only Georgie that matters.” Alec smiles over at him.

“Yeah, don’t listen to that thing. You’re my brother, you mean the world to me, don’t like that thing get into your head.” Mia gives her brother a gentle look.

“I know IT got into mine and I think that’s what’s happened to all of us when we were separated it fucked with our heads and showed us...”

“Our worst fucking nightmares.” Stan cuts Mia off.

“I mean, I’m not actually injured at all. I’m just nearly at the level having a whole mental breakdown after the shit I saw. That fucking clown twisted the house so it showed me shit I can’t fucking stand. There was dirty plates...”

“Seriously? That’s so fucking...”

“Shut up, Sara! Shut the fuck up! It was fucking awful and it wasn’t just that kinda mess, it was dirty plates, dead birds, used tissues, vomit and fucking bandaids. I fucking hate bandaids!” Stan practically screeches.

“How did you get past it?” Mia queries as Alec hands her another slice of pizza.

“I nearly threw up doing so, but I couldn’t fucking stay there. I had to get to my sister and besides, if I hadn’t have gone the walls might have started caving in and if I’d have been trapped around all that I would be fucking dead.” Stan shudders.

“It was awful. I hated it. Fuck I am never going to be able to sleep ever again, holy fuck.” Stan is practically rocking back and forth and Georgie pats his shoulder in a comforting manner.

“It showed us our horror, our worst nightmares. That’s what IT does. My dad told me that IT showed him and his friends...” Alec pauses for a moment.

“Your parents some horrifying shit and well, the same thing happened to us too. I mean Pennywise made me think that I’d lost my dad and I couldn’t imagine my life without either of my parents, so yeah. IT showed us our worst fucking fears and more probably.” Alec begins massaging his temples with his fingers.

“How’s your head and your vision?” Stan enquires.

“Bit off, my head hurts like a asshole though. Also I think the clown fucked up my face a little.”

“It’s not so bad. The sides of your face are bleeding a little, did IT get you?” Mia eyes him worriedly.

“Yeah, yeah IT nearly gouged holes into my fucking face. Are you okay?” He glances at the wound on her neck, small droplets of blood trickling down her skin at times.

“Yeah, Mia you look...” Georgie winces, wanting to go over and hold his sister.

Protect her from all of this crazy shit.

“I know, yeah my neck hurts and even though I can’t feel anything there my skin feels sore from where I got burned by these hands that were grabbing onto me when I was alone. I don’t know what that was but it. It was horrible.” Mia’s eyes widen to an alarming size as she remembers the way those things burned her skin by touching her.

“They’re not technically real, we what saw. The things IT made us see, they’re not real and they can’t hurt us in the long run, it might seem like it at the time, but as my dad told me, only the clown can physically harm us.” Alec explains quietly.

“What made you think you could take it on with a spray bottle filled with water?” Sara raises an eyebrow at him.

“Optimism? I mean it was plant mix, not just water, but my dad talked to me about how if we believe something can hurt IT then it will hurt IT? That doesn’t make much sense, I know, but I believed the water could hurt Pennywise and it did. It hurt that fucker and we got away.” Alec shrugs.

“Yeah, you saved us. Thanks.” Wanda smiles at him.

“Yeah, you came through.” Georgie adds to noises of agreement from the others.

“Honestly, thanks guys, but we had to do something, I mean that was last resort. I don’t know what the fuck we’re going to do now.” 

“Hopefully get the fuck outta Derry before that thing comes back.” Sara mutters.

“I don’t think we can. I think we have to see this though. I think we need to help our parents kill IT.” Alec explains.

“Nope, no way. There’s no way our dad’s are going to take on that clown. I’ve never met any of your parents so I don’t know what to expect from them, but honestly who the fuck is gonna want to do that?” Stan points out.

“I don’t think we have a choice.”

“There is a choice we can make. We can choose to get the fuck outta here before IT recovers from Alec’s water attack.” Georgie points out.

“A good plan.” Sara agrees before wincing at the pain in her side.

“Sara, that looks awful. Is it still bleeding?!” Stan rises to his feet.

“A little, I’ll be fine, stop acting like papa!” 

“They’re gonna lose their shit when they see this.” Stan winces as he bends down to get a closer look at the gouge ripped into Sara’s side.

“Move your hand, Sara!”

“I think my hand being there is stopping it from bleeding so I ain’t moving it.”

“For fucks sake are you being serious right now?! Papa is gonna have an aneurysm! Literally you and Alec are insane, he’s walking around with a head wound and you’re got a hole in your side!”

“You are making it sound a lot worse than it is. I mean look at Sabrina’s knee if you want to see something bad!” Sara gestures to Sabrina’s bruised and swollen knee.

“You’re gonna need ice. A lot of freaking ice and for your face, do you think you might have broken your nose?” Stan turns to her.

“Nah, it’s just bleeding. I’m just really sore, really bruised and wishing that I had managed to get to that fucking bus.” Sabrina sighs.

“Tell me about it. I paint you know, The school me and Mia are at are even showcasing some of my art soon.”

“That’s awesome.” Wanda nudges Georgie with smile.

“He’s good.” Mia nods.

“I wish I was home, home with my sister and my parents. I wish I was painting something new right now instead of this. Don’t get me wrong, meeting you guys has been awesome and this is nice, it really is, but I don’t want to fight a clown.”

“I know right? I just wish I was on my couch at home, reading your dad’s book.” Wanda adds.

“I wish I was cleaning my room.” Stan looks almost mournful.

“I wish I was messing up his room.” Sara nods, only to be nudged by Stan.

“I just wish I was at home, with my family. You, my dad’s and aunt Audra.” Mia speaks quietly.

“I mean, I understand the severity of the situation but I don’t disagree, I could be at home right now, with my mom and dad, fixing up my plants in my greenhouse, smoking a bit of weed.” Alec sighs.

“Dude, do you have any weed on you right now? I mean, I could use...”

“Are you really being this way right now, Sara for fucks sake!” Stan buries his head in his hands before launching into a full scale rant that doesn’t do anything but make Georgie, Wanda, Alec, Mia, Sabrina and Sara laugh.

A laugh they needed to have after the horrors they have faced and for all they know may have to face again before their time in Derry comes to an end.

Bill Denbrough-Hanlon can barely breathe. 

If he could form the words he knows that he would be screaming.

Screaming at Mike for keeping all of this from him.

For lying to him for all these years about the things he’s been doing whilst he was supposedly ‘doing his day job’.

For all of this.

They have kids.

They have two fucking kids who they currently cannot contact that are in Derry because of them and for all he knows could be dead.

Dead like Georgie. 

His little brother Georgie who was murdered by Pennywise because he let him go out there alone on that rainy day when he lied to his brother about feeling too sick to go out when he really just couldn’t be bothered.

He got Georgie killed, his blood is on his hands and how his Georgie, his Mia?

They could be dead right now and it would be all his fault.

His and Mike’s fault for bringing them here.

For him not being smart enough to remember enough to realise that bringing them here was the worst thing he could’ve possibly done.

Beverly is near tears as she’s fumbling around in her pockets for something whilst Ben is frantically trying to call their daughter.

Stan is walking around in a circle as he’s trying to call his son.

Mike is trying to call their children and Eddie is pacing back and forth as Richie is also glued to his phone.

“WHY AREN’T THEY FUCKING ANSWERING US?!” Richie screams as Eddie stops pacing to rub his husband’s leather clad back in an attempt to calm him down.

“FUCK!” 

“It’s. It’s the clown. It’s the fucking clown, that’s what it does, it’s messing with the phone lines it has to be. It has to be messing with the phone lines.” Eddie whispers, trying to think rationally even though he is losing his entire goddam mind with worry.

Beverly lights a cigarette.

A habit she had gotten out of since Wanda came along.

This is her first cigarette in fifteen years.

It’s something for her to do whilst Ben holds his phone to his ear, desperately trying anything to get through to their daughter.

“Bill. I can’t...” Mike starts with a shake of his head and Bill doesn’t say anything at all.

Not even looking at his husband as he pulls out his own phone to try and contact Mia and Georgie.

“You lied to us.” Eddie ends up hissing at Mike.

“That’s not okay!”

“Yeah, the first words out of your mouth should’ve been. Hey, man. Do you want to come to Derry and get murdered? Cause then I would’ve said no.” Richie lowers his phone whilst he’s calling Sara to glare at Mike.

“This is what we were always coming back for. Coming back to do. I know we didn’t remember...”

“Do you think if I’d remembered any of this shit that I’d be here? That I would’ve brought my daughter and my son? How come you remember so much anyway Stanley?” Richie turns on Stan.

“I. I honestly don’t know. It just all cams flooding back to me when I got the call from Mike.”

“And you came anyway? Are you fucking insane?!” 

“An oath is an oath, Richie. We couldn’t... We have to be here together, we knew it then and we are all here now.” Stan tries to calm him down, whilst seeing if Alec has answered him.

“Not by fucking choice.” Eddie grumbles as Stan shares a look with Mike, who just closes his eyes in both worry for his children and pure exhaustion from what he knows is going to be a long night.

A long night and a long few days.

“This is fucking entrapment, man.” Richie mumbles as he thrusts his phone angrily at Eddie when he gets no answer.

“Phone lines, Rich, phone lines, remember Pennywise could’ve...”

“If Pennywise has fucked with the phone lines then why does my phone have a signal, Eddie? They’re not answering us. Our children aren’t answering us because something...” Ben’s voice cracks ever so slightly.

“Something happened...”

“Honey, let me. I’ll call Wanda. I’ll call. It’s okay, she’s okay.” Beverly sniffs as she lowers her cigarette so that she can give Ben a one armed embrace, who begins crying silent tears into her shoulder as he begins to think about all the worst things that could’ve happened to his daughter.

“Pennywise knew.” Eddie states as he tears his phone away from his ear.

“He knew about the kids and we. We gave him the perfect opportunity to do this because we left them! We left them at the fucking townhouse and now...”

“FUCK!” Richie yells, running his hands through his hair.

“We have to stop IT.” Mike starts in a quiet voice.

“FOR F.F.FUCKS SAKE, M.M.MIKE OUR C.C.CHILDREN ARE M.M.MISSING! OUR K.K.KIDS! OUR F.F.FUCKING KIDS!” Bill snaps then, tears streaming down his cheeks at an alarming rate.

“Bill, Bill he could be messing with us. Messing with the phone lines, that’s what IT does, we need to go, go to the townhouse to find out if they’re there. If they’re... Look, I have a plan. I do, I have a plan.” Mike holds his hands up that are shaking due to the fact that he is actually terrified that something has happened to his kids.

“Yeah, yeah I got a plan. Go back to the townhouse, grab my kids if they’re still fucking there and get the fuck outta dodge before this ends worse than one of Bill’s books!” Richie mutters to a short nod from Eddie but a disapproving look from Stan.

“Richie...” Stan starts slowly.

“Who’s with me? Our kids have not and will not become clown chow!” Richie continues both he and Eddie raising their hands as Bill, Ben and Beverly continue trying to get through to their kids.

“We made a promise to each other.” Mike points out quickly.

“Well then let’s unmake the promise! I don’t want my kids to fucking die, man. I need to know that they’re okay and I need to keep them safe. How can you be so fucking calm about this?!”

“I am far from calm. I am far from that right now, but I have to think. We have to think about this, the promise we made and the fact that this could be the clown fucking with us. Our kids could be fine. Maybe this is what IT wants. IT wants us to lose our minds and think the worst.” Mike suggests.

“Are you fucking hearing yourself right now?! Fuck!” Richie buries his head in his hands with a frustrated cry.

“Richie. Richie this. This isn’t... We can’t just leave, there is more to this and...” Stan starts quietly.

“And other people are going to die. Our kids...” Ben eyes are red and raw from the tears he has shed, but he is forcing himself to try and keep a level head.

Losing it will not help Wanda.

That won’t help any of their kids.

“Other people die everyday, man! We don’t owe this town shit!” Richie yells back.

“Richie...”

“No, Stanley! No! I don’t know what the fuck you know and why you’re acting like this, but I can’t stay here. Plus I just remembered that me and Eddie grew up here like two hours ago! We can’t stay here. I can’t...” Angry tears start to slide down Richie’s cheeks.

“I can’t lose my kids. I can’t...” Richie cries and Eddie takes his husband’s hand and holds it as tightly as he can in an attempt to calm him.

“I’m out. I’m fucking leaving! FUCK THIS!” Richie starts to head for his car and Eddie follows.

“I’m sorry but I’m with Richie.”

“Eds, Richie, please listen...” Mike reaches out for Eddie.

“What? We stay, we die? That’s it? Our kids might already be dead right now. My kids. We can’t reach them right now. The only thing we can do is go back and check the townhouse and hope to fucking god that this is trick and they’re their waiting for us. Richie and I are going to go back to the inn, we’re going to find our kids, pack our shit and then we are going to drive to our home. I’m sorry, man, good luck! When you find your kids please message either me or Richie... Me because he’s fucking pissed, but we have to go. We have to go right now. I’m sorry.” Eddie finally lets Richie pull him away.

“Wait, Eddie, Eddie, please. Wait!” Mike calls after them as Stanley jogs to cut them off.

“I know. I know I’m freaking out. I know we all are because we’re scared. I’m fucking... I’m terrified. I have never been more afraid, but we can’t leave. We can’t run from this, because it is always going to be there, in the back of our heads and something...” Stanley looks away. 

“Something? Something what, Stanley? What are you trying to tell us? What happened to you? Why do you remember more than we do?!” Richie practically screams at him as Beverly lowers her phone down to stare at Stanley for a moment, a horrified look appearing in her eyes as the realisation starts to dawn on her.

The realisation that thinks she knows why Stanley knows more than they do.

“Richie. I want to believe that this. What happened to our kids is a trick, that they’re fine, but what do we do if it isn’t? We have to stick together because if they’re. If they’re... We could go...”

“No, no fucking way!”

“Richie!” Stanley grabs his arm.

“LET GO!”

“NO! NO YOU DON’T FUCKING SEE IT! YOU DON’T!”

“WHAT?! WHAT AM I MISSING?! WHAT AREN’T YOU TELLING ME, FOR FUCKS SAKE!” Richie snarls at him and Stan can’t.

He just can’t bring himself to admit what he almost did because he was afraid.

Why he remembers...

“I....”

“Stan...” Beverly locks eyes with his, her own filling with tears as the nightmare tears through her mind, possessing all of her current thoughts.

“W.W.Wait... W.W.What’s going on?” Bill frowns.

“Are you okay?” Ben squeezes his partner’s shoulder. 

“Beverly.” Stanley finds himself lost for words.

She knows.

She knows what happened to him, what he almost did.

It’s in her eyes, he can see it as clear as day that she...

That she somehow knows what he would’ve done.

What he has come to realise that he probably will ending up being manipulated into doing if they go back now.

“How. How?” Stanley’s eyes widen in fear as Beverly trembles.

“Do you two know something we don’t? What... What is this? What...” Eddie is frightened by his friend’s reactions.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!” Richie yells, but is immediately silenced by something completely unexpected.

The cry of ‘dad’ that causes all seven Losers to turn around and realise that there are seven kids grouped together on the other side of the road and that six of them are their kids...

“Are we friends now?” Stan asks when they’ve finally left Sabrina’s hide out and they’re walking down the streets of Derry in the dark of the night.

Planning to hopefully be back at the Townhouse before their parents are so they can clean themselves up and figure out a way of explaining to them what has happened without letting on that they did get hurt pretty bad.

They’ve walked for quite a while now, but Sabrina has assured them that she does know the way back to the townhouse.

Their journey time is also being extended by Sabrina and Sara limping around pretty badly, to the point where Stan is supporting them both.

Wanda is limping a little too due to her bruised and sore knees, but she is comfortably leaning on Georgie’s good arm, who is keeping a close eye on Mia, who has been walking with Alec.

They’ve been chatting and bantering all the way.

With Sara making inappropriate jokes, Stan lighting off on rants about health and safety and Alec sometimes mentioning things that his dad told him about Pennywise, they’re having quite the eventful journey back.

“I mean we did almost get murdered by a goddam fucking clown.” Stan reasons when they all pause to look at him.

“You are so lame.” Sara groans.

“Ohh my god.” Mia stops suddenly as they’re passing a Chinese restaurant with a large neon sign that reads: 

‘Jade Of The Orient’

“What, Mia are you alright?” Alec glances worriedly at her as she grips his arm.

“Oh it’s that fucking clown again! Come at me you scary piece of shit and let me kick your ass!” Stan screams into the dark, but it’s not the clown that Mia has noticed.

No.

It’s the seven people stood spaced out in the parking lot they’re a small street away from.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!” Sara immediately recognises the sound of her dad’s voice.

He sounds afraid, angry. Something which he never is.

“Oh my god, dad!” Wanda immediately starts running across the road.

“Our parents. It’s our parents.” Georgie breathes a long sigh of relief as he grabs Mia’s hand and starts pulling her along with him.

“PAPA!” Stan full on screeches as he runs like a speedster from a comic book across the road, completely forgetting that he was supporting Sabrina and Sara, who grab onto each other for support as they start limping across the road.

“Holy shit...” Alec whispers with wide eyes.

“That’s Richie Tozier!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *posts & hides* I am genuinely sorry that this is so bad. I will try to make the next chapter better when I can. I have a lot of assignments to do so I don’t know when the next update will be, but due to current world events my university has been closed down.
> 
> On the subject of current world events. I hope everyone is safe & well. We will get through this somehow. I wish you all good health & I’m sending you all my best wishes.
> 
> I will try to update when I can. Thank you all so much for reading & for your lovely comments. Please do comment if you can & tell me all your thoughts about this chapter.


	8. Ándale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike & Stanley try to convince the other Losers to stay. Stanley is afraid of the cost.

I don’t own anything.

In the split second that it takes for the Losers to realise that their kids are running towards them, they’re moving too.

Wanda is the first to reach them and she throws herself into Ben’s open arms, Beverly moving towards them both at the exact same time, horrified when she realises that her Wanda is covered from head to toe in blood.

“Oh thank god, thank god.” Ben murmurs, tears streaming down his cheeks as he gathers his daughter up into his arms, bringing Beverly into the embrace too. 

“It’s okay, sweetheart, you’re okay.” Ben chokes back sobs when he realises that she’s crying too.

“Oh, Wanda....” Beverly strokes her daughter’s blood drenched hair, tears filling her own eyes.

They’re relieved, relieved that their daughter is alive after believing the worst and right now, that’s all Ben can think about.

Beverly, however is also afraid.

Afraid that her daughter has seen something awful that she will never be able to forget.

Afraid that all their friends’ kids have seen something horrific.

However, as she and Ben hold on to their daughter and watch as the other Losers are reunited with their kids, Beverly is just eternally grateful that they’re alive.

That they’re right here with them right now.

It’s in no time at all that Stan pretty much launches himself at Eddie.

“PAPA!” He screeches until he is finally wrapped up in Eddie’s arms.

“It’s okay, Stan, it’s okay, you’re okay, oh fuck... That fucking clown...You’re okay.” Eddie holds his son close to him.

“It was. It was...” Stan cries, but Eddie shushes him and holds him tighter, glancing over at Richie with a relieved look in his eyes, who moves quickly to join the embrace for a brief moment.

“Oh thank fuck.” Richie presses a kiss to the top of his son’s head.

“I’m sorry, we’re so fucking sorry, we should never have brought you here, fuck.” Richie murmurs, holding onto his son and his husband.

“I’ll be right back, it’s okay. I’ll be right fucking back and we’ll get out of here. It’s okay, Stan. You’re okay.” Richie squeezes his son’s shoulder before running towards a clearly limping Sara.

“Oh, honey I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. We shouldn’t have left you. Fuck.” Richie murmurs when he catches Sara in his arms.

“A clown? Seriously?!” Sara murmurs as Richie tightens his hold on her, trying not to cry.

“I’m sorry.” Richie practically groans as Sara reaches out for Eddie whilst still wrapped mostly around Richie.

“Come here, sweetheart, come here!” Eddie beckons them both over with his fingers and Sara holds onto Richie so she doesn’t fall over in her attempt to get to her papa and her brother.

“Come here, I’ve got you. I’m here.” Eddie pulls Sara into the embrace, Stan wrapping an arm around her too as she latches on to Eddie, whilst Richie manages to embrace all of them in one go.

Bill and Mike manage to meet Mia and Georgie half way and they pull their two children into their arms.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Mike is near tears as he holds onto his son and his daughter.

“This is my fault. It’s my fault, I’m so sorry.” 

“It was horrible.” Mia sniffs.

“I k.k.know.” Bill strokes her hair.

“What’s going on? Why is all of this happening?” Georgie enquires as Bill just lets out a cry and holds onto them even tighter than he was before.

“I’m sorry.” Mike repeats again.

Knowing that they’re only here because of him, because he thought they’d be okay.

That IT wouldn’t be interested in them.

How could he be so careless and stupid?

How could he put his children at risk?

Bill will never forgive him for this.

Mia and Georgie will never forgive him for this.

Which is why, Mike just holds onto his family as tightly as he can.

He’ll spend the rest of his life apologising to them for this.

Trying to repair what he has most definitely broken.

“You’re friends with Richie Tozier?!” Alec gasps as he reaches his father.

“Oh my god, this is awesome!” 

“Alec...” Stanley doesn’t know what to say to his son, who looks like he did twenty seven years ago.

“Mia, Georgie. These are our friends, our oldest friends.” Mike starts quietly, turning Mia and Georgie slightly so they can see the other Losers.

“Beverly Marsh, Ben Hanscom, Stanley Uris...”

“Yeah, we kinda named you after that dude.” Richie quietly informs Stan.

“Oh my god, he named his son after you?! Dad, shits gone down, but that is awesome.” Alec can’t help but beam as Stanley just gives Richie a look.

“And that’s Eddie Kaspbrak and Richie Tozier.” Mike finishes.

“We know.” All of the kids say in unison.

“I wish we’d all met before.” Ben admits.

“We should have all met before.”

“That fucking clown.” Eddie mutters, whilst keeping his kids close.

“Well, yeah, you were right about the clown.” Is all Alec can say whilst being tightly embraced by his dad.

“Oh, shit.” Is all Stanley can say as he holds Alec as close to him as possible.

“It’s okay, dad. You told me about, IT. I knew that was a thing and yeah, IT was terrifying and wow, I am so sorry that you had to face that thing, because holy shit that thing...”

“Was fucking horrifying.” Sara mutters.

“You’re a legend.” Alec grins at Richie, who responds with an awkward wave.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about IT. We’re not, we’re not staying here. We’re getting out of here as soon as possible.” Eddie murmurs.

“We can’t...”

“Yes w.w.we are M.M.Mike!” Bill tightens his hold on Georgie and Mia.

“We have to stop IT.”

“How are we going to do that, Mike. Our kids. Well I’m not entirely sure what happened to them, but the clown has obviously gone after them and yeah, I get that people are going to die if we don’t stop IT, I get that, but not our kids. Not our damn kids.” Ben speaks out, keeping Wanda and Beverly close to him.

“W.W.What happened. H.H.How did IT g.g.get to you?” Bill stutters, trying to keep Georgie and Mia as close to him and Mike as possible.

“Well, IT yanked me through a closet, we ended up in a haunted house where IT tried to kill us, injured most of us and just scared scared the fucking shit out of us. We were heading back to the hotel when we found you guys.” Sabrina gives the Losers a brief summary of events.

“I’m sorry, who the fuck is this?” Richie is the first to speak.

“Sabrina, she got yanked through a closest by IT, we followed her...”

“Why the fuck...”

“We didn’t know what had happened to her, but we knew that she was obviously in trouble so we went after her.” Georgie points out.

“Yeah, there’s been some crazy shit going on in Derry for awhile now. I mean, you guys probably already knew all about that, but whilst I knew this place was a shithole, I didn’t think it was a shithole with a supernatural killer clown intent on killing us all. Sure, people have gone missing but I didn’t think it was...” Sabrina shakes her head, a frightened look in her eyes.

“What were you doing at the hotel?” Mike queries.

“It’s close to the station. As I said, people are going missing in this town and a lot of people my age and younger were going missing in the care home and I thought I was crazy until today, but I thought... No, I could hear voices coming outta the sink.” Sabrina states plainly.

“So my plan was to get the fuck outta dodge, I was waiting for my bus when I met Sara and then the others and then the whole psycho clown thing happened.” Sabrina explains to wide eyed looks from the Losers.

“Wait. Why did you guys leave your rooms?” Eddie glances down at his kids.

“Of course that’s what you focus on.” Sara murmurs.

“My phone signal went out, so I was gonna go and stand in the corridor to see if it was the room. It never came back, but Wanda was doing the same so we started talking.” Georgie speaks first.

“Yeah. I actually... Yeah, I lost signal too but I just needed some air because I thought I heard something in the... I thought I heard voices in the sink.” Wanda admits and Ben’s embrace grows tighter.

“I’m so sorry, honey. I’m so sorry.” Beverly presses a kiss to her daughter’s blood soaked head.

“Yeah, I was just trying to call mom and I wanted to keep in touch with you and I couldn’t because there was no phone signal and I just figured that standing out in the corridor would be okay which was when I met Mia.” Alec explains.

“I had a nightmare and there were these yellow dots across from me when I woke up and I just... Georgie was gone and I figured he’d just be in the corridor.” Mia’s eyes fill with tears.

“The clown, IT. IT had yellow eyes. Maybe it was. IT was watching me.” Mia trembles and Mike, Bill and Georgie tighten their hold on her.

“IT cut off the phones. Made sure you guys couldn’t contact us and IT...”

“Brought us together.” Alec finishes his father’s sentence.

“IT wanted us together so...”

“IT could kill us, kill us and...” Stan shudders.

“Rub it in our fucking faces.” Richie mutters.

“We. We have to get out of here, we have to go back to the townhouse.” Beverly squeezes Wanda’s shoulder, before taking her daughter’s hand.

“No, no, no, you can’t leave. We can’t leave we’ve got to...”

“Get the fuck outta dodge!” Richie wraps his arms around Sara and Stan’s shoulders and Eddie takes Stan’s hand as the four of them move towards Richie’s car.

“I’m sorry, Mike. We gotta go back to the townhouse. We’ll all go back there and shit will get discussed, but we can’t. We can’t just stand here arguing, I’m sorry.” Ben apologises, following Beverly, who is already walking to their car with Wanda.

“We’re gonna follow them right?” Alec glances towards his dad.

“Yeah, we need to talk to them, we can’t leave.” Stanley speaks slowly.

“Knew it.” Alec nods with a wry smile.

“Come with us, IT’s already come after you once and from experience...” Stanley tilts his head to the side nervously when addressing Sabrina.

“Alright.” She nods, limping towards them.

“Stan...” Mike reaches out towards his friend.

“I’m not leaving. I’m going to go back to the townhouse and talk to them, explain...” Stanley pauses for a moment.

“I’m just gonna talk to them. You...” Stanley eyes both Mike and Bill.

“I gotta show Bill something, I’d ask you to come with us, but you’re needed back at the townhouse. You need to convince them...”

“I know.” Stanley nods.

“I will.”

“Mike.” Bill gives his husband a look.

“I don’t k.k.know... W.W.What is stopping me from l.l.leaving too?” 

“Bill.” Mike starts, an anxious look forming on his face, as he locks eyes with his husband, whilst their kids are held between them.

“Bill, please love. I’m begging you, please, just listen to me. Please just...”

“W.W.What can you say.” 

“What c.c.could e.e.either of you possibly s.s.say that would make any k.k.kind of a d.d.difference. They’re a.a.all gone.” Bill eyes both his husband and Stanley then.

“Explain... Explain the consequences.”

“C.C.Consequences? What c.c.consequences, Stan? W.W.What...”

“IT’s not going to stop. Not unless we all work together to stop IT. This... I don’t know, all I’m going off is what my dad said, what I saw.” Alec shrugs.

“Yeah, that shit was scary, dad and IT. We can’t just do nothing.” Georgie speaks up.

“Yes. Yes, you are right, son, you’re right and I can. Just. Just let me show you something, Bill. One thing, let me show you this one thing, please let me show you this thing, it’ll explain a lot, I promise.” Mike pretty much begs.

“Mikey...”

“Let me show you this, please. Stan, again the offer would be open to you too, but...”

“No, it’s okay, I’ll go back to the townhouse and talk to the others, that’s still fine. You guys go and see the thing and come back and tell us all about it.” Stan nods his head, as Bill just groans.

“Cool, I’m down for coming with.” Georgie nods at the same time Mia shakes her head.

“I. I don’t want to. I don’t want to see...” Mia bites down on her lip and Mike immediately goes to comfort his daughter.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to.”

“M.M.Mike...” Bill starts.

“She can come with me. I’ll take care of her until you guys get back.” Stanley offers.

“You trust me, right?”

“Of c.c.course. Of course we do.” Bill nods.

“Yeah, go with Stan, baby, you’ll be safe with Stan.” Mike kisses the top of Mia’s head.

“It’s all going to be okay, there’s gotta be a way through this and that’s what we’re gonna find.” Alec tries to reassure a clearly terrified Mia.

“You’re alright.” Bill murmurs, holding his daughter close.

“We’re... W.W.We’re.”

“Gonna have a quick look at something, then we’re all gonna come right back. We’ll be at the townhouse before you know it. Georgie...” Mike turns to his son.

“I want to see. I want to see what you guys are going to see. I want answers.” 

“Okay.” Mike nods.

“O.O.Okay?! Mikey this is not...”

“I’ve already seen the clown, dad! That thing came after me, my sister and our new friends. We’re a part of this now.”

“N.N.No you are n.n.not G.G.Georgie!” 

“He can come with us. It’ll be fine, he’ll be with us.” Mike tries to reassure Bill. 

Bill, who feels as if he is currently losing his entire goddam mind. 

“I’m sure we’ll be back soon, you’ll be okay with them. They seem cool and we know Alec, Sabrina, Sara, Stan and Wanda. It’ll be fine.” Georgie embraces Mia in an attempt to calm her down. 

“I don’t want you guys to go out there. Why can’t we all just...” Mia sniffs and Georgie tightens his hold on his sister.

“We won’t be long, an hour, hopefully less. We’ll be fine.” Mike assures his daughter, wanting nothing more then to just pull Georgie and Mia into his arms and not let them go

Keep them safe.

Something which they are all far from right now.

“W.W.We’ll get t.t.through this, sweetheart.” Bill embraces her, glancing at both Mike and Stanley.

“We will.” Mike states with a sense of certainty Bill, Stanley, Sabrina, Alec, Mia and Georgie don’t know how he has.

“We will.” Mike repeats his statement as Mia starts to move towards Stanley, Alec and Sabrina.

“See you soon!” Georgie calls after them.

“Soon.” Bill nods towards Stanley, who gives both him and Mike a knowing look, before herding the three teens towards his car.

“Okay, there’s like three first aid kits available. I got two, Stan has one.” Eddie states the second he walks through the main doors of the townhouse with Stan and Sara, who is holding on tightly to Richie’s arm. 

“Let’s get our stuff and get the fuck out of here.”

“Honey, I’m going to take Wanda upstairs. Will you pack up?” Beverly turns to Ben the second the three of them are in the townhouse behind the Tozier-Kaspbrak’s.

“Bev...” Ben starts.

“We need to get out of here, Wanda’s already been attacked, all our friends’ kids have been attacked. We can’t. We can’t let them die.” Beverly whispers hurriedly, reaching out for Wanda, who is pretty much wrapped around Ben.

“Come on, let’s get you all cleaned up.” 

The first thing Beverly does upon entering the room, is start the bath.

“Mom, I don’t. I.I.I don’t...” Wanda trembles at the sight of the bathroom.

The pure fear that it brings her because of what IT did forcing her mind back to those places.

Forcing her to remember how she heard the voice coming out of the sink.

The way IT trapped her in that bathroom with that girl when she was nearly strangled to death by hair and covered in the blood that stains, what feels like, her entire body...

“I don’t want to go in there. I can’t. IT...”

“Won’t hurt you. IT won’t hurt you, honey. I swear to god, I won’t let IT hurt you.” Beverly pulls her daughter back into her arms, not caring one bit about the blood.

“Please don’t leave me, please don’t make me go in there...” Wanda practically begs through her state of panic.

“I won’t. I’ll be right with you, come on. You’re dad’ll sort everything else. I’m with you, okay? I’m here.” Beverly strokes her daughter’s matted hair, leading her towards the closet.

“No! No, mom!” Wanda is quick to pull her mother away from the closet the second Beverly approaches it.

“IT. IT took Sabrina through there. That leads...” Beverly cuts her daughter off by opening up the closet doors.

Revealing nothing but clothes and not the dark abyss that it was before.

“That’s gone now, honey. IT’s not here now.” Beverly pushes the few clothes that are there aside to prove to Wanda that there’s nothing in there that’s going to hurt them right now.

“Okay.” Wanda nods, moving forth to select some new clothes to wear, all whilst holding onto her mom’s hand as tightly as she can, just incase.

Beverly just squeezes her daughter’s hand and tries not to cry.

This shouldn’t have happened.

They should never have come here and they most certainly never should have brought Wanda here.

Beverly hates to think that Wanda saw that thing, that Pennywise did things to her that she’ll never be able to forget.

That Wanda experienced the same horror’s that she and Ben did over twenty seven years ago.

They have to get her out of here, out of Derry.

They should all leave Derry, really. They should all just run and not look back.

Richie was right.

They don’t owe this town shit.

However...

Bev knows what she’s seen.

What she’s come to realise she has seen every night in her nightmares. Every day since she left the cistern and after how...

After how Stanley reacted...

“Mom?” Wanda’s quiet voice and tear filled eyes force her away from her thoughts.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, honey, please don’t worry about me.” Beverly presses a gentle kiss to her forehead, before squeezing her fingers.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” Beverly leads her into the bathroom and towards the now full bathtub.

“Do you want to talk about what you saw?” Beverly speaks softly as Wanda prepares herself for the bath.

“I know that talking about it helped me. The first time something happened, I went straight to your dad and our friends. I pretty much dragged them all to my place.” Beverly smiles a little.

Remembering now how Ben, Bill, Eddie, Stan and Richie had all shown up when she’d called.

How they’d left Richie to keep watch outside whilst Ben, Bill, Stan and Eddie came in to help her clean the bathroom.

How Stan had methodically cleaned up whilst Eddie cautioned them over the likelihood of incidents happening in bathrooms. 

Yet, Beverly knows her daughter.

If Wanda wants to talk about something, she’ll go straight to Ben.

She’s always gone to Ben and that’s her own fault.

Because she was so distant at the start.

Afraid that she’d hurt Wanda...

“Do you want to talk about what happened, with your dad?” Beverly guesses.

Confident that she’s right in assuming that Wanda only wants to talk to Ben.

Wanda doesn’t say anything and Beverly decides to start helping Wanda wash the blood out of her hair.

“I heard a voice in the sink. I thought I was imagining it.” Wanda sniffs, wrapping her arms around her knees.

“I wish I could tell you that you were, honey, but that’s what Pennywise does. I heard voices in the sink too when IT was haunting us. I was...” Beverly pauses for a moment, wondering briefly if it’s a bad idea to tell Wanda about the attacks IT forced on them. 

Afraid that she’ll end up causing further distress for Wanda.

However, whatever IT showed or did to her, IT left her covered in blood, just like she was all those years ago.

Beverly can remember it so clearly now, crawling across her bathroom floor, drenched in the blood that had exploded out of the sink.

Slipping and sliding in the thick, disgusting substance as she’d screamed for help...

“Mom?” Wanda’s fear filled voice snaps her out of the disturbing memory.

“Are you...”

“I’m fine, honey.” Beverly tries her hardest to smile at her daughter.

“I’m just remembering.”

Wanda nods and decides not to ask questions.

It’s obvious to her that what happened to her parents and their friends was horrific.

Especially if it was anything at all like what happened to her and the others, which Wanda is certain it was.

“I won’t let IT hurt you, Wanda. I. I won’t let Pennywise hurt you, or your dad. You’ll be alright.” Beverly whispers as she tries to force back her tears.

Maybe, just maybe she’ll be able to keep her daughter safe.

Get her and the other Losers’ kids far from here, but Beverly knows.

She knows all too well that is too late for her.

Too late for the Losers Club. 

If those awful nightmares are anything to go off and Beverly knows that they are, there’s only one way out of this.

Or else...

Or else they all die.

“We’re getting out of here, right fucking now.” Richie states the second he walks through the door.

“I’m with you, Rich. I’m with you. I hate it when you do the packing but I’m gonna need you to do it whilst I see to our kids.” Eddie states, turning to Sara and Stan.

“Where are you hurt? What the fuck did that fucking clown do to you?” Eddie starts with wide and worry filled eyes.

“I’m fine, I just really need a shower, like I really need a shower, oh fuck...” Fear fills his eyes as he remembers the corridor filled to the brim with dirty food filled plates, dead birds, vomit, used tissues and bandaids. 

“Stan, it’s okay. It’s okay, you’re here, you’re safe. It’s alright.” Eddie draws his son back into his arms as he trembles and tears slide down his cheeks. 

“That fucking clown.” Eddie mutters under his breath as he tries to comfort his son.

“Terrifying.” Stan whispers.

“I know, trust me, we know and I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.” Eddie looks between both Stan and Sara.

“Are you two... Are you two sure you’re alright?”

“I’m physically fine. IT nearly ripped a fucking hole in Sara though.” Stan states, causing both Eddie and Richie to freeze.

“You know, for once he’s not ever fucking exaggerating.” Sara groans as she finally brings her blood coated fingers out and away from the deep gash in her side.

The look of horror on her papa’s face is unlike anything she’s ever seen before and her dad stops dead in his tracks.

“Hey, no one had an aneurism.” Sara manages to give Stan a half smirk, before sitting herself down on the edge of the bed.

“Oh god.” Eddie covers his mouth with his hands when he is finally able to speak.

“Okay, what the fuck is that?” Richie doesn’t know what to say, or to do.

In fact, he feels utterly helpless.

“It’s alright. Shit...”

“Geez, you could sound more confident about that, papa.” Sara attempts to joke, aware that her parents are freaking out.

That they’re worried about her.

“I’m gonna... Fuck!” Richie buries his head in his hands.

“Keep packing, Rich. I got this, I got this. It’s okay, honey. I know what to do. I can fix that. It’s not... It’s not awful...”

“What?! That’s fucking horrifying! She’s fucking... She’s still fucking bleeding, holy fuck.” Richie runs his hands through his hair as Stan moves to grab one of the three first aid kids for his frazzled papa.

“Sara, lie down. It’s alright. I can fix this.” Eddie tries to sound more confident as he opens up the, thankfully, well stocked first aid kit, making a mental list of what he can use before heading to wash his hands.

Sara mutters something, before groaning out in pain as she starts to lie herself down.

“That’s gonna get infected, she’s gonna get infections...”

“Okay, let’s not go there, alright. Come and help me pack.” Richie calls to a clearly anxious Stan.

“I got this. Yeah I only remembered this a few hours ago, but you know, I’ve patched up a wound a bit like this before.” Eddie starts as he grabs his disposable gloves.

Even though, just by glancing at Sara’s wound Eddie knows that it is probably a bit worse than Ben’s was.

It appears deeper and was done with claws instead of a knife.

“Not surprised, you’ve always patched us up.” Sara mutters, deciding that it best not to look at the incredibly painful wound.

“Yeah...” Eddie starts as he grabs the antiseptic.

“FUCK!” Sara practically screeches and tries to move out of her papa’s reach due to the agonising stinging sensation that the antiseptic causes her to feel.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.” Eddie bites his lip, whilst resting his free hand on his daughter’s shoulder.

Forcing back the tears that he feels coming because he knows that he is causing his daughter this pain and it’s the last thing he wants to do.

“I gotta clean it. You know I gotta clean it.” Eddie squeezes her shoulder in a comforting manner.

“Hey, Sara, it’s okay. You’ll be fine. You survived the stupid fucking clown, this? This is nothing.” Stan drops what he’s doing to sit on the other side of the bed, grabbing his sister’s fingers.

“This isn’t fine, shithead.” Sara growls.

“It will be, papa’s got this. You’ll be fine, just don’t look at it, insult me if you want. I don’t care.” Stan gives her a gentle smile.

They may argue, but she is his little sister by twelve minutes and sure, she’s stupid and reckless, but Stan would do anything for his sister and hates to see her in pain.

“You’re letting me insult you? Wow, am I dying?”

“No, no you’re not dying. I just kinda deserve it. I just had to face things that disgust me in there, you’re the one that got cut open by the clown.” Stan points out.

“Yeah, I did. Oh well, you asked for it.” Sara smirks before groaning in pain as Eddie continues to clean out the wound.

“Yet... FUCK!” Sara hisses as Eddie touches a particularly painful part of the wound.

“I ain’t gonna belittle what you saw. Your fears might be fucking weird and you might not actually be normal but they’re still fears and after what that piece of shit showed me...” Sara trails off and squeezes her brother’s hand instead.

“It’s alright, IT’s gone now and I think we’re getting out of here.” Stan gives her hand another gentle squeeze.

“We are.” Their dad confirms from across the room.

“Is that a good idea? I mean, not that I want to see that fucking thing again, but can we walk away from this?” Sara enquires.

“YES!” Eddie, Richie and Stan say at the exact same time.

“Yeah, we’re getting the fuck out of here.” Stan nods.

“I don’t know, that guy... Mia and Georgie’s dad...”

“Mike? Sara, Mike’s lost his entire fucking mind. He used to be the chill one out of all of us as well, but he’s fucking lost it.” Richie states as he’s packing.

“Rich...” Eddie starts.

“I’m not wrong.”

“That fucking clown. It’s capable of some shit...” Sara continues.

“Yeah, we know. We were here twenty seven years ago, we saw what that thing was capable of and we know that we’re not safe here and need to get the fuck outta dodge before we’re fucked.”

“What did you see, Sara. What did it show you?” Eddie strokes a hand over his daughter’s hair whilst focusing on patching up the wound.

“Did someone get hurt like this by the clown before? What kinda wound was that, because this fucking hurts.” Sara directs the conversation elsewhere in an attempt not to relive what Pennywise forced her through.

“Well, the same guy did get cut by Pennywise too, just like this, but the wound I patched up of his was done by a knife.” Eddie decides to tell the story.

“A knife? What the fuck?” Sara’s eyes widen.

“Wow, this town really is a shithole. I mean based on the shit I’ve read, I’m amazed you guys got out alive.” Stan glances between his papa and his dad.

“I feel that. It was fucking hard.” Richie confirms, trying to focus predominantly on packing instead of the sudden intrusive memories.

“So, our friend, Ben. The...”

“The handsome one!”

“Richard Tozier-Kaspbrak...”

“What?! I’m just stating a fact, Eds. You know I only have eyes for you.” 

“We will be having words about this when we’re home, Richard.” Eddie fixes his husband with an icy stare.

“Wanda’s dad?” Stan glances down at Sara.

“Yeah he was Ben.” Sara remembers.

“It was the first time we got to know him properly as well. Him and Bev.” Eddie continues.

“Yeah, it was just me, your papa, Big Bill and Stanley at first. Your papa was friends with Big Bill long before we met and I was friends with Stanley for just as long, we kinda just came together. Billiam actually introduced me to your papa.” Richie explains, giving Eddie a soft look when the memories return to him.

“Bill wanted us to go down to the barrens because people were going missing. Bill’s little brother went missing, it was...”

“It was the start of all our fucking problems, that’s what it fucking was. Billiam, you see, was fucking adamant that his little bro and all the other missing kids were still alive, so he dragged our asses out to the barrens.”

“So that’s how it started. With Bill Denbrough’s brother going missing?” Stan guesses.

“Oh yeah. That kid was dead, dead and gone but because they never found a body, Bill was adamant on finding him. If you want to blame anyone for all this shit, blame Bill.” Richie mutters.

“Or Pennywise, seeing as he caused this. He killed Bill’s brother and many more.” Eddie glares at his husband for his brashness.

“Why did Ben get hurt with a knife?” Sara enquires, turning her head away when the pain increases.

“We weren’t exactly the popular kids...”

“Damn fucking right we weren’t, we were the Losers. The Losers Club.” Richie interjects.

“Well, we were all bullied a lot by our school’s resident gang of psychos. They weren’t just bullies, they were outright psychopaths. Ben didn’t hang with us back then, but when me, your dad, Bill and Stanley were down at the barrens, Ben suddenly appears in the water covered in mud, blood and fuck knows what else because that fucking asshole had tried to carve his fucking name onto him.” Eddie shakes his head in disgust.

Richie doesn’t say anything, not even wanting to acknowledge that piece of shit who had hurt Ben and the rest of them countless times back then.

God he hope that fucker’s dead.

“Ben was fine though, we met Bev and got her to help us steal some supplies from the drugstore. I patched him up in a totally unsanitary alleyway which is something you must NEVER do. Richie annoyed us all and Bill ended up inviting Bev to hang out with us the next day at the quarry.” Eddie finishes the tale, relived when he’s realises that it’s distracted Sara from her pain. 

“Yeah and the four Losers became six.” Richie adds as Eddie starts to dress Sara’s wound.

“How did Mike join you guys then?” Stan enquires, giving Sara’s hand a light squeeze to reassure her that he’s still there.

“Funny you should ask, well, poor crazy Mike also got targeted by those psychotic assholes.” Richie informs them.

“Oh my god, who the fuck were those people and please tell me they got what was coming to them.” Stan shakes his head in disgust.

“Called themselves Bowers’ gang. There was a bunch of ‘em and they were led by a right fucking tool.” Richie mutters.

“Henry fucking Bowers.” Eddie stops fixing Sara’s wound so he doesn’t hurt her when he shudders at the thought of that monster.

Sara and Stan exchange a quick glance.

Sabrina’s father.

The one imprisoned...

Stan shakes his head quickly when Sara locks eyes him and their father’s aren’t looking at them. 

Silently agreeing that it would be dumb to tell their fathers’ about Sabrina’s parentage. 

Where she came from is not her fault and even though they’ve fortunately never encountered Bowers, it is clear to Sara and Stan that Sabrina is nothing like that.

“Bev smacked that fucker right in the face with a rock she threw at him when we recruited Mike. There was this massive rock war and Mike ended up joining us after.” Richie tells the story.

“I remember you getting hit in the face with a rock.” Eddie nods, smirking at Stan and Sara.

“Fuck you!” 

“That should be fine now, sweetheart. Do you want to lie here for a bit whilst we pack?” Eddie enquires as he finally finishes patching Sara’s wound up.

“I’ll get our stuff.” Stan squeezes Sara’s hand one last time.

“I’m so sorry.” Eddie apologises again, pressing a soft kiss to his daughter’s forehead.

“Not your fault there’s a psycho ass clown running around in this town.” Sara retorts.

“Yeah, that’s on Bill...”

“RICHARD TOZIER-KASPBRAK!”

“Guys!” Stan calls out for the Loser’s the second he enters the townhouse with Alec, Mia and Sabrina.

Sabrina is still limping and Alec and Mia hover around her just incase she needs their help.

“If they’re gone, do you mind dropping me off at the bus station. Don’t think I can walk there anymore.” Sabrina glances down at her swollen knee before allowing Alec and Mia to help her to a comfortable chair.

“Are you alright?” Stan turns to face the teen with a worried look in his eyes.

“Peachy.” Sabrina murmurs.

“It’s alright, I’ll get Eddie to patch you all up, Alec...” Stan turns to his son.

“Dad, I’m fine.” Alec starts.

“Are you sure? You look...”

“Please don’t waste time worrying about me right now.”

“How would that be wasting time? You’re my son, Alec. Your well being comes before any of this.” Stan gives his son a stern look.

“He’s got a head injury.” Sabrina states in a matter of fact tone of voice.

“Sabrina...” Alec closes his eyes in exasperation.

Which kind of helps his aching head and his blurry vision for a few moments.

“Alec Uris.” Stanley mutters in a stern tone, carefully turning Alec around so he can see the damage done.

Wincing the second he sees the congealed blood in his son’s brown curls.

“How are you feeling? Can you see? Are you dizzy? Sit down...” Stan leads his son to the nearest chair, noticing the terrified look in Bill & Mike’s daughter’s eyes.

“He’s been fine. We kept asking him and he said he was okay, I wasn’t there. I didn’t see what IT did to him.” Mia admits in an anxious tone of voice.

“Mia, it’s fine. I’m okay, dad. My head? Yeah it’s super sore and okay, my vision is a bit blurry...”

“Oh my god...”

“But not as bad as it was when it first happened, so that’s a good thing right?” Alec attempts to smile.

“A good thing? Alec...” Stanley buries his head in his hands for a moment. 

Willing himself to stay as calm as possible, so he can handle this situation in a calm, orderly and organised manner.

How did everything manage to go to shit so damn fucking fast?

“I’m sorry... I’m so sorry, Alec. I shouldn’t have brought you here. This...”

“It’s on me, dude. I was the one that got dragged through the closet.” Sabrina interjects.

“We would’ve gone after you no matter what, ow!” Alec winces when Stanley touches the wound lightly with his fingers to see if it’s still bleeding. 

“Okay, I need to talk to the others, especially Eddie, he’ll know exactly how to fix this and he’ll definitely do a better job than I would. I also...”

“You need to get them to stay, it’s okay, dad. Go to the them, we’ll be fine here. I don’t think IT’s gonna get us in a hotel lobby.” Alec tries for another gentle smile.

“IT might, I’m not leaving until at least one of the others come down.” Stanley states firmly.

“Why does that thing exist?” Mia whispers.

“Where did IT come from? Why is IT doing this?” 

“It’s a long story and I’m not exactly sure myself where IT came from, but IT is an evil that feeds off of Derry. Appears around here every twenty seven years, which is why we me and your parents went up against in then when we were around your age.” Stan replies.

“Why didn’t you kill the bitch?” Sabrina raises an eyebrow at him.

“IT got away before we could. We weren’t sure at the time actually if we’d killed IT or not.” Stanley admits.

“You beat the shit out of it though, right?” Alec smiles a little.

“Yes, I suppose we did.” Stanley looks down at his feet, remembering that harrowing day.

Of his face being torn into by the teeth of that goddam clown.

Believing that his friends never cared about him and that they’d leave him to die alone and terrified in the cistern.

Finding Beverly somehow suspended in the air.

Fighting off that goddam clown.

“IT went back into hiding. Dropped through this well...” Stan shudders a little as he remembers the look in Pennywise’s yellow eyes as he’d gripped onto the edges and had whispered ‘fear’ before descending into that unknown abyss.

“None of us were sure if IT was dead or not, which was why Bill made us swear that if IT ever came back, then we would too and well, it’s been twenty seven years and here we all are.” Stanley shrugs, an almost distant look in his eyes.

“Dad made you swear to come back here?” Mia speaks up.

Stanley smiles at her somewhat, the look in her eyes reminding him of a younger Bill.

“Yes, he. Bill was kind of our leader. He was, is brave. Bravest person I’ve ever known. I wish... I wish this hadn’t have happened, that gotten to spend the last twenty seven years with him in my life, with all of the others in my life, the fact that we forgot...” Stanley shakes his head.

“Your dad lead us back then, got us through everything that happened to us and more. Stayed constant and strong through it all.” He tells her.

“You were all strong, you got through it.”

“Hell yeah, you survived IT! That’s badass, we barely got out of there alive and from what Alec said, you guys managed to survive IT for a whole summer, you guys are pretty badass.” Sabrina points out.

“Not sure if that’s the word I’d use for it.” Ben’s voice sounds out as he appears at the bottom of the stairs.

“How’s everyone doing here?”

“We’re okay.” Alec replies calmly as Stan gives Ben a look.

“Where’s Beverly? Eddie? Richie?” 

“Upstairs, they’ll be down in a bit I’m sure, are you okay? You...”

“We can’t just leave, Ben. This thing, IT... IT is going to keep killing people, you know that.” Stanley states firmly.

“I know, I get it, but our kids, man. We can’t... I don’t really know what to say, but I do know what I want to ask.” Ben admits.

“What?”

“You know more than we do, well, me, Eddie, Richie and Bill anyway, you and Bev. There was a moment back there where you looked at her and said ‘how.’ Like she knew something that you didn’t think she could possibly know and I think that’s it’s going something to do with this.” Ben points out.

He can’t tell him.

There’s no way he can admit what he almost did to his friends.

They’d think he was weak, they’d never look at him in the same way again.

Everything would change.

However, the fact that Beverly seems to somehow know what he almost did is utterly terrifying.

How could she possibly know?

“Where’s Georgie?” Wanda’s small voice disrupts everything as she walks down the staircase with Beverly.

“He went with our dad’s. I’m not sure what it is exactly they’re doing, but my papa wanted to show him something.” Mia tells her.

“Okay.” Wanda nods, moving quickly into her dad’s already open arms. 

“How are you doing, sweetheart?” Ben holds her close to him as she trembles and clutches onto him as tightly as possible.

“I don’t know.” Wanda admits, just wanting to stay wrapped up in her dad’s arms where she knows she is safe.

“Beverly...” Stanley starts as Beverly heads straight for the bar, something which Ben notices immediately too with a look of pure concern in his warm eyes.

“Hey.” Stanley continues as he comes to stand in front of the bar, where Beverly is trying to discreetly knock back a couple of shots.

“Beverly.” He gets her attention only a moment later and she puts her glass down, her fingers remaining wrapped around the much larger bottle. 

“Are they okay?” She glances over at Alec, Mia and Sabrina.

“I want Eddie to take a look at them, but they say they’re fine. I don’t really know what to think right now.” Stanley admits and Beverly reaches forward to take his hand.

“Stan.” She whispers and he can see the hurt in her eyes, the sadness. He can’t distinguish the rest.

He’s not sure if he wants to.

She’s going to tell them.

Tell all of them of what he tried to do.

She thinks he’s a coward...

“How...” Stanley can barely form the words.

“How did you... How could you possibly.” He makes a slight gesture with his hands, because he just can’t say the words and it’s evident that he was correct in assuming that she knows what he nearly did, because her eyes suddenly fill with tears and she pours herself another drink.

“Bev...” Stanley doesn’t like what he can say, or how he should word this at all. 

It’s impossible...

“I’ll be right back.” Ben presses a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head, eyeing his partner and his friend with concern etched upon his handsome features.

“Dad.” It’s clear that Wanda doesn’t want to let go of him and that breaks his heart.

“I just need to talk to your mom, we’ll be right here.” He promises her, waiting until she has crossed the room and is sat down with Mia, Sabrina and Alec.

Giving her a reassuring smile, immediately filled with a sense of gratitude towards Sabrina and Mia when they take Wanda’s hand to comfort her.

It’s only then that he feels content enough to tear his eyes away from her for a moment to deal with the issue surrounding Stanley and Beverly.

“Tell me.” Ben requests firmly as he sits himself down across from Beverly, who gives him a wide eyed stare.

“Tell you what?” There is a innocent/deer in the headlights look from Bev.

“Whatever it is you’re afraid to tell me right now, honey.” Ben replies softly.

Beverly doesn’t say anything and neither does Stanley.

“I can’t do this.” She whispers under her breath, beginning to move, sliding the bottles back into place as she does so.

“Bev, Bev, sweetheart.” Ben goes after her, cutting her off before she can go anywhere.

“At The Jade when you were talking with Stanley...” Ben stops the second he sees the look in her eyes.

Stepping away immediately to give her, her space.

He shouldn’t have done that, Ben is well aware that Beverly hates to be cornered and knows the whole reason behind that.

Doing that was wrong and she’ll never know how sorry he is for his carelessness.

“I’m sorry.” He apologises quickly, holding up both of his hands and putting distance between them in an attempt to make her feel more comfortable.

‘I would never hurt you’ He wants to tell her, but he knows that she wouldn’t want that spoken out loud when they have company.

Beverly doesn’t make a move to approach him at all, in fact, she takes a step back herself and Ben internally cringes.

Meanwhile, Stanley is looking nervous, shuffling around in an almost awkward way as he stares down at his feet.

Anywhere but at either Beverly or Ben.

When Beverly doesn’t make a move to do or say anything, Ben turns to him.

“Stanley, you told her ‘how’. At the Jade, you looked terrified, you looked at her and said ‘how.’ I don’t know what it is, but with everything that’s going on right now, I know that it’s fits got to have something to do with that. There’s something you’re not telling us.” Ben states plainly.

“Uh, Ben, it’s nothing, don’t worry. I’m not really with it right now, I don’t think any of us are really, I mean, this...” Stanley shakes his head and Ben groans.

“Guys I saw how you reacted, I know there’s something going on, just talk to me, come on...”

“Oh my god.” Ben is cut off by Alec nearly falling over in an attempt to get up onto his feet as Richie runs down the stairs with his bag, Stan following close behind him.

“Where’s Sara? Is she okay?!” Sabrina is alert immediately as Stan goes to her side to briefly examine the bruising around her face.

“She’s fine, papa patched her up. I’m sending him after you guys before we leave. You still have a head injury, sit the fuck down.” Stan eyes Alec, who is looking up at Richie.

“Pennywise nearly tore your throat out.” Mia is the second to receive a Stan Kaspbrak stare.

“And you have a swollen knee and your face is a mess.” He finishes with Sabrina.

“Where‘s Sara?” Mia enquires.

“Resting until we really have to go, papa’s grabbing the last of his things and he’ll come down with her.” Stan explains. 

“Yeah, I don’t know why you’re all standing around chatting, we can do that when we’ve put a couple of thousand miles between ourselves and this fucking town. So whatever you guys are talking about, make it happen fast, alright, we’ve gotta go.” Richie tells Stanley, Ben and Beverly before heading to the bottom of the stairs in a couple of strides.

“EDUARDO ÁNDALE, LET’S GO!” 

“Look, there’s something you’re both not telling us.” Ben continues, his eyes not leaving Beverly’s for a second.

“Something happened to you, didn’t it?” Ben glances to Stanley.

“Ben...”

“No, something happened to you and somehow Beverly knows about it, even though neither of us remembered you until today. There’s something wrong, please tell me what happened, it’s alright.” Ben tries to get through to his partner and his dear friend.

“Wait, what’s going on? I knew something’s been off with Stanley, but what do you mean there’s something wrong? Tell us, come on. Stan...”

“Yeah, dad?” Stan calls from where he is stood anxiously beside Sabrina and Mia.

“This Stan.” Richie indicates to Stanley.

“Wow, I’m gonna need a few working days to process this.” Stan Kaspbrak buries his head in his hands.

“Beverly, please.” Stanley glances at her.

Praying that she doesn’t give into Ben.

That she doesn’t tell him and Richie the truth.

“What don’t you want her to tell us?” Richie fixes Stan with a hard stare.

“I can’t do this.” Beverly says after a moment and starts to walk away from the three men surrounding her.

“We can’t just walk away from this.” Ben follows her, attracting the attention of Stan, Mia, Sabrina, Alec and Wanda.

“What’s going on? What happened? Bev...” Ben continues as Beverly rings to bell at the front desk.

“What the fuck is going on, Stanley?”

“Not now, Richie...”

“Not now? What the fuck, man. Something’s wrong. Stanley something happened to you, tell me what’s going on. Just talk to me, man, please!” Richie near enough begs as he puts his bag down.

“Bev, sweetheart, talk to me. Just talk to me, honey. Bev, come on we’ve always been able to talk to each other, no matter what. It’s alright, please just tell me what happened...”

“I saw it.”

“You saw ‘it’? What do you mean by ‘it’ do you mean the clown? Fucking Pennywise?” Richie is the first to react.

“I saw what...”

“Beverly.” Stanley starts to shake his head at her.

She can’t do this, she can’t tell them.

“I have to, we have to. It’s okay, Stan, it’s okay, we’re not... This is going to be okay, I promise.” Beverly speaks in a small, almost tearful voice.

“Stanley, what the fuck happened to you, man?” Richie looks worried.

He won’t be worried once Beverly tells him the truth, Stanley thinks to himself.

He’ll...

“Okay, I know you didn’t want to say anything because you didn’t want to freak anybody out, but come on, dad, it’s okay.” Alec rises to his feet, gripping the chair tightly to steady himself.

“Oh god.” Beverly covers her mouth with her hands.

His son knows?

How?

Beverly wants to cry.

Cry for her friend and his son. 

This isn’t right, this shouldn’t be happening.

“Yeah, I know. I saw it, Pennywise attacked dad at our home in Georgia, mom was cooking, she didn’t hear a damn thing, but I came in and I saw that damn clown, it was super fucking weird, but...” Alec shrugs and Stanley doesn’t know what to say or how to react.

Alec just... 

“Wait, you saw Pennywise attack Stanley? How... What the fuck?” Richie is near enough lost for words.

“Yes.” Stanley decides to go along with the lie Alec has ever so kindly created for him.

It’s not right, his son shouldn’t have to do this, he shouldn’t have to lie or even be burdened by the knowledge of the fact he almost looked himself, but this?

This might help.

All Stan hopes is that Beverly plays along.

“Pennywise attacked me at my home, Alec came in and that’s why I had to tell him about, well everything. I think that’s how all my memories came back right away. It was terrifying, I was so scared because that. That shouldn’t have happened.” Stanley continues.

“No, no, it shouldn’t have, how? What the fuck? How the fuck did IT get to your house?!” Richie practically yells at him.

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell us this?” Stan eyes Alec.

“I didn’t want to scare you guys anymore than you already were.” Alec shrugs.

“So, the clown can transport? How does a supernatural clown transport? I’m sorry, but that’s fucking crazy.” Sabrina states.

“No, it’s. It’s real, I saw it.” Beverly admits.

“What are you talking about, mom? How could you... How?” Wanda is shaking her head.

“Bev.” Ben reaches out for her and she takes his hand.

She takes his hand and she goes straight to his side, wrapping an arm around his waist and resting the side of her head against his firm chest.

“I saw IT attack Stanley in his home in my dreams. I saw IT... I’ve seen.” Beverly forces back tears as the memories of the dreams she could never understand for twenty seven years fill her head.

The dreams where Ben, Richie, Bill, Eddie, Stanley and Mike all die horribly.

Her Ben...

“I’ve seen all of us die.”

Richie’s eyes widen to an alarming size.

Stanley buries his head in his hands.

The kids all stare blankly at her, swearing and speaking so rapidly that Beverly can’t distinguish who’s saying what.

Ben just holds onto her...

“Okay, I’ve just got to grab my toiletry bag, then we can go, are you okay there, sweetheart?” Eddie glances briefly at Sara as they’re walking down the stairs with the cases.

“Yeah, I’m good papa, woah...” Sara pauses when she sees the stances of her dad, Wanda’s parents and Alec’s dad.

The looks on Wanda, Mia, Stan, Sabrina and Alec’s faces.

Her papa sees them too and he places his suitcases down.

Fixating on Richie, Stanley, Ben and Beverly.

“What did I miss?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I am so so sorry for not updating, I just haven’t had much energy to do anything & I’m so so sorry. I should’ve got this chapter done days ago but I ended up making memes for this James Ransone film I got addicted to. This chapter isn’t as good as it could’ve been, but I went over it & I think this is okay, again I’m sorry for this. Thank you all so much for reading, your kind words mean everything to me & I hope everyone is staying as safe as they can be in these trying times. I know I’m staying home, haven’t left my house in weeks & I don’t plan to leave it any time soon, so I’ll do my best to come up with a new chapter as soon as I can. Thanks again for reading & please do comment if you can & tell me all your thoughts!


	9. The Ritual Of Chüd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike introduces the Losers’ & their children to The Ritual Of Chüd.

I don’t own anything.

With the car journey being an awkward one, Georgie was kind of relieved when his papa finally parked the car.

Never before has there been a car journey where his fathers’ haven’t spoken to one another.

The silence was uncomfortable and far too awkward for Georgie to feel like he could say something to lighten the air.

He also doesn’t know how he would’ve been able to lighten the air what with everything that’s going on.

He does wish that Mia hadn’t have left them.

Sure, he’s pretty confident that she’ll be fine with Alec’s dad and the others when they reach them, but he would have preferred if if they had all stuck together as a family instead of separating as they have done.

Georgie is also a little anxious as to what he’s about to see, as he ventures into the unknown.

He definitely feels less terrified than before, knowing that if anything goes wrong that his fathers’ will protect him.

What IT said does haunt him now though.

How can he not be the ‘real Georgie?’ 

Who is the ‘real Georgie’ and what does that even mean?

“We’re here.” His papa states, giving Georgie as reassuring glance before leaping out of the car.

Georgie moves to get out too.

Watching as his dad copies his actions.

“It’s. It’s going to be alright G.G.Georgie.” His dad stutters momentarily.

“Well, It’s better than it was.” Georgie attempts to smile at his father.

Noticing that his papa is already moving towards the unfamiliar building.

“We better follow papa before we lose him.” Georgie remarks.

“M.M.Mikey!” Bill calls after his husband and grabs Georgie’s hand as they both move quickly towards a large, rather beautiful building.

The doors of which, Mike is opening up with a set of keys.

“Where are we?” Georgie enquires.

“The l.l.library. It is the library r.r.right?” Bill glances up at the quiet Mike.

“It is.” Mike pushes open the doors.

“We used to spend a lot of time in here when we were at school together. Ben loved it in here, found all the research on this town for us. I’ve been using it as a base, brought it out when it needed new management. I’ve been coming here every other weekend.” Mike admits.

“W.W.Which you should’ve t.t.told us.” Bill mutters.

“Woah.” Georgie gasps as he steps into the dark, but extremely intriguing building.

“Used to love coming here with your dad.” Mike squeezes his son’s shoulders, glancing over at Bill, who tries not to meet his gaze.

Wanting Mike to know that he still isn’t happy with him, even though he wants to smile due to the memories that return to him of spending days upon days in here with the Losers.

Getting bird books with Stan, trying to convince Eddie that he does not need to research whatever disease he thought he had that week and just sitting and reading with Mike.

Beautiful, happy memories...

“Why is the first book stand covered in dad’s books?” Georgie raises an eyebrow at the literal tower of books, all written by William Denbrough.

“Because I run this this place and therefore I am allowed artistic control.” Mike whispers with a mischievous smile.

“Y.Y.You always do t.t.this.” Bill smiles fondly at his own novels.

“A.A.Always surprised m.m.me. I thought you hated my endings too?” Bill eyes the stand Georgie and Mike are stood next to.

“I don’t hate them, I just think that they could be happier endings and besides, when your husband writes several bestselling novels, why wouldn’t I want to show that off?” Mike replies and Bill can’t even try to fight the warm smile that spreads across his face then.

“Thanks, Mikey.”

It means a lot to Bill, it really does that even though his husband may not be the biggest fan of the way in which he ends his books, that he’s still so supportive of them.

Mike has never been anything but supportive.

Sure, he might be mad at him now for the secrecy and all that, but what Bill does know is that somehow he will find a way to forgive Mike.

That he won’t stay mad at him forever.

How could he possibly stay mad at Mike forever? 

He’s the love of Bill’s life and Bill would not know what he’d do without his kind hearted husband.

There’s no one in the world like Mike Hanlon-Denbrough.

“Woah, an axe!” Georgie runs his hand over the glass case that contains a rather ancient looking axe.

“Can we use that to cut up the clown?”

“No, I don’t think actual weapons would work. In fact, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t.” Mike responds as Bill gazes at the encased axe.

So distracted by it that he doesn’t even notice Mike and Georgie heading away from him for a few seconds.

“Hey, g.g.guys where are you g.g.going?” Bill jogs after them quickly.

Following Mike up a few flights of stairs.

Mike and Georgie reach the destination first and Mike opens up the door for them both m.

“Woah...” Georgie’s eyes widen the second he steps into a darkened wooden room.

“Welcome to my office away from home.” Mike squeezes his son’s shoulder in passing.

“Strangely cool.” Georgie remarks as he looks up, admiring the structure of the room.

“You’ve been set up h.h.here?” Bill starts as he sweeps over the area with his eyes.

“Yes, again, Bill, it wasn’t all a lie, I did save many, many of libraries, but I brought this place out for myself and I’ve been doing a lot of work remotely. I’ve been coming over here every other weekend for the last twenty seven years.” He admits.

“Why couldn’t you tell us about all this? I mean, I don’t know if I’d have believed you about the clown at the time, but how... How could you keep this secret, this is insane.” Georgie admits.

“The last thing I ever wanted was for you and Mia to get involved in any of this. I didn’t tell you about this because I wanted to keep you guys safe and, as you’ve probably realised, your dad didn’t remember this place or anything that had happened. I couldn’t keep telling him about all this, I couldn’t let him keep reliving it over and over again.” Mike admits, glancing past Georgie and locking eyes with Bill.

“Why didn’t you forget? I take it that once you all leave this place, you forget about it?” Georgie tilts his head to the side.

“You’re right, that’s what happens, but I. I knew I couldn’t let myself forget, otherwise we’d have never have come back here to stop IT. We would’ve broken our oath and I don’t want to mess around with that at all. We swore an oath.” Mike states.

“I’d leave myself notes in my pockets, letters reminding about Derry and everything we went through. I left myself so many reminders that when I was able to, I came back here and started to set up shop.” Mike gestures to the mess surrounding them in the room.

The papers, the books, and a bunch of artefacts that Bill and Georgie can’t quite understand.

“The only problem was, is that I had to keep coming back here to continue the work. I tried. I tried to do what I could at home, but it didn’t work out and when I took my work home with me.” Mike let’s out a sigh.

“Mia found it.”

“F.F.Fuck, Mikey!” Bill runs his fingers through his hair.

“Oh shit.” Georgie mouths.

“I’ll never forgive myself for that, for the fact I let that happen. I never should’ve brought any of this home with me, I just wanted to stop coming here all the time. I hated it, I did. All I wanted was to be home with you guys and Mia.” Mike admits.

“What did Mia find? I remember her freaking out about the attic when we were younger and how she won’t go anywhere near it now, did you put something up there, papa?” Georgie questions.

“Yes. Mia, she used to get in everywhere remember? Well, she got in there and saw this... I can’t believe I forgot to lock the door, I should’ve locked the damn door.” Mike shakes his head in disgust at his own actions.

“D.D.Did you let her b.b.believe that she was c.c.crazy?” Bill gives Mike an accusing look.

“No, no. No! Not at all, when she found that and you were telling her monsters weren’t real and all that, I told her what I could. I told her that, yeah, there are things out there, bad things and that living in a big house can be scary sometimes, that there’s an uncertainty. I couldn’t let her think that she was crazy but I didn’t want her to know about all this either, I mean now. Now when we get a moment after all this, I’ll talk to her about it again. I’ll tell her the truth.” Mike sighs, trying to avoid Bill’s accusing gaze.

“Do you want some water?” Mike offers after a moment of uncomfortable silence, as Georgie explores the room with wide eyes.

Gazing over the photographs of some extremely intriguing but also incredibly weird locations and artefacts.

“Yes please.” Georgie replies and Mike moves to his mini fridge to retrieve a cool bottle of water for his son.

“Thanks, papa.” Georgie accepts the bottle with a grateful look in his eyes.

“You arm.” Mike’s eyes widens when he notices the blood on his son’s sleeve and the skin around his arm that has been ripped open.

“G.G.Georgie?” Bill stutters, running his hands through his hair as he races across the room to be by his son.

“H.H.How deep is it? D.D.Do you need the h.h.hospital? It’s d.d.deep, it’s...” Bill’s thoughts start to multiply and his mind races with worry and with unpleasant memories.

Memories of his brother.

His little brother Georgie.

The version of him that Pennywise presented to him so long ago.

The one with no arm...

“I will admit, it kinda hurts, but I think it’s okay?” Georgie winces at the sight of the cut.

“It’s alright, Georgie, we can fix that up right now.” Mike searches for his first aid kit as Georgie takes a seat

“W.W.What happened?” Bill’s eyes fill with tears as he kneels down beside his son.

“IT tried to rip my arm off with it’s teeth.” Georgie admits and Bill stifles a cry.

“It’s okay, dad, I’m here. I’m fine now, that didn’t happen, I’ve still got both arms.” Georgie tries to reassure his father as his papa returns to his side with the first aid kit.

“Honestly, what IT kept saying to me freaked me out a whole lot more than what IT actually did to me.” Georgie reveals and both Bill and Mike freeze.

“W.W.What. W.W.What did IT s.s.say to y.y.you?” Bill stutters, running his hand up and down his son’s good arm in a comforting motion.

“Well, IT... Ow!” Georgie winces as the antiseptic wipe hits his wound, courtesy of his papa.

“I’m sorry, I gotta clean it.” Mike apologises immediately.

“It’s okay, I get that, it just really stings.” Georgie takes a small sip from his water in an attempt to distract himself from the pain of the antiseptic that slides over his wound, mimicking the sensation of being pricked by a hundred or more needles all at once.

“Yeah, it will, I’m sorry.” Mike apologises again.

“W.W.What did IT... Y.Y.You don’t h.h.have to t.t.tell us.” Bill squeezes his son’s good arm carefully.

“No, it’s okay, I want to.” Georgie sighs.

“I went in to try and get that thing away from Sabrina and you know, it was actually going well, I stabbed IT in the back with this rod I found.”

“You did? That’s amazing, well done, son, well done, you did great.” Mike presses a kiss to the side of his son’s head and puts an arm around him for a few moments, before returning to the wound.

“I’m s.s.so proud of y.y.you.” Bill adds, resting his head against his son’s arm.

“Thanks.” Georgie finds himself smiling at both of his parents, before choosing to continue telling the unsettling recount.

“So, IT tried to bite my arm off, I moved completely out of the way before that happened though but IT still caught my arm with its teeth, yet the fact that IT just looked at me and kept telling me that I wasn’t ‘the real Georgie’ that’s what freaked me out the most, because what the fuck? How am I not ‘the real Georgie’? What did IT mean? Honestly, that freaked me out more than the whole nearly getting my arm ripped off thing.” Georgie reveals as Bill and Mike share mutually concerned expressions.

Aware of what Pennywise may have been trying to reveal to Georgie.

Something that they’ve never talked about as a family.

In fact, neither Georgie or Mia know about Bill’s little brother.

They’ve never spoken of him and Bill knows that’s because he could barely remember him.

He could barely remember the little brother he loved so much and who he named his son after.

Sure, he remembered Georgie enough to know that he should name his son after him, but he never remembered those times, those precious time’s he’s shared with his little brother.

He never remembered that fatal day.

The day Georgie was torn away from him and all this began.

No, Bill never remembered any of it.

Until now...

“Apparently I’m ‘all wrong.’ That my skin is, in IT’s words ‘urgh’. Again, what the fuck? In my opinion, the racism really jumped out there, you should’ve seen the way IT looked at me and you know, I don’t even know how IT can talk about me in that way when all IT is, is an ugly piece of shit clown.” Georgie grumbles as Mike bandages his arm.

“That never should have happened to you, I’m so sorry that IT did that to you, I hate that fucking clown. I never should’ve brought you here. I’m sorry.” Mike whispers whilst sliding the bandage around his son’s arm.

“Not your fault IT came after us. I mean, yeah, you knew about IT but Alec explained it, apparently his dad, Stanley, he only brought Alec with him because the clown couldn’t be seen by other people and so you guys hoped that we wouldn’t be affected by IT either.”

“Yes, yes that’s exactly what I thought too. I also knew that if you and Mia weren’t with us then IT would use you guys against me and Bill and we wouldn’t... We might not have known what was real and what wasn’t.” Mike nods.

“I.I.I am s.s.so sorry, G.G.Georgie.” Bill apologies to his son again.

“Dad, it’s not your fault. I don’t know where that thing came from, but nothing that’s happened today is your fault.”

“I.I.It is! I was the o.o.one t.t.that convinced y.y.your father and the o.o.others to fight IT back t.t.then. I d.d.did this. I m.m.made IT notice us the d.d.day I dragged S.S.Stan, Eddie and R.R.Richie down to the b.b.barrens because a.a.all I...” Bill trails off, tears sliding down his cheeks.

“W.W.We’re all here today b.b.because of w.w.what I did.” Bill sniffs.

“No, no that’s not it, Bill. IT could’ve taken any one of us at any time back then, this is not and never was your fault.” Mike eyes his husband worriedly.

“What IT do to you?” Georgie looks between both of his parents.

“Did IT take someone from your class or something? Alec told us his father said that people were going missing back then and you guys tried to help find them? Which is a good thing, yeah it might have lured you to the clown but you were doing it with all the best intentions, you were trying to save people.” Georgie points out.

“Exactly, you were just trying to...” Mike nods, but Bill shakes his head.

“G.G.Georgie, there w.w.were people going m.m.missing. You are r.r.right, people from our s.s.school were going m.m.missing, but, w.w.we were out there b.b.because I...” Bill tried to compose himself.

“Because I w.w.wanted to f.f.find my brother.” 

Georgie is immediately surprised at the revelation.

He didn’t know that his dad had a brother.

He never met his grandparents on his dad’s side of the family.

It was always said that his dad was estranged from them but he was never even sure why.

They argued a lot and eventually they cut all contact.

He didn’t have any grandparents on his papa’s side of the family either, as they apparently died in a horrific accident that Georgie is now really hoping isn’t related to the clown.

How much did that thing actually take from his parents?

Georgie isn’t sure if he wants to know the answer to his question.

“I. I didn’t know you had a brother, dad? You’re never...”

“No, I. I did have a b.b.brother. I f.f.forgot...” Bill can’t even bring himself to finish that sentence.

“Leaving Derry made you forget your own brother?” Georgie’s eyes widen.

“N.N.No not exactly. I k.k.knew that I h.h.had a b.b.brother and that h.h.he. T.T.That he died, b.b.but I couldn’t remember w.w.why. Why and h.h.how.” Bill admits tearfully and that’s when Georgie realises what must have happened.

What IT must have done to his dad.

IT killed him, his dad’s younger brother.

One of IT’s victims was his dad’s younger brother...

“It w.w.was all m.m.my fault.” 

“No.” Mike shakes his head.

“Bill...”

“Dad, how could that have been your fault? That thing...”

“It was, G.G.Georgie. I.I.It was raining and my b.b.brother, h.h.he wanted to p.p.play outside. H.H.He wanted us to p.p.play outside and. I.I.I didn’t w.w.want to.” Bill sniffs.

“I didn’t w.w.want to p.p.play, s.s.so I l.l.lied. I lied and I s.s.said that I w.w.was too ill to g.g.go with him and I j.j.just. I just let him go! I l.l.let him go out there alone and h.h.he... He never came b.b.back!” Bill cries and Mike and Georgie just stare at him.

They must agree, Bill thinks to himself.

They have to agree. It was his fault.

His little brother is dead because of him and whilst the memory was gone before, whilst it was foggy to him before now, he remembers everything.

Every single moment of losing Georgie.

How they couldn’t find him when they’d finally realised that had been gone too long and Bill couldn’t get him to answer on the walkie talkie.

The time and effort everyone put in to searching for him.

How Bill’s parents had accepted his death when Bill never did and eventually let their grief and their completely understandable anger shut him out and make the place he once called a home a living hell.

How Bill had dragged all of his friends into a horrifying mystery all because he was so desperate to find Georgie and to fix the mistake he made.

His little brother is dead because of him.

“H.H.He was s.s.seven. He was only s.s.seven y.y.years old.” Bill whispers.

“IT...” 

“Dad...” Georgie puts an arm around his father in an attempt to comfort him.

“I know I wasn’t there, but I don’t know how what happened could’ve been your fault. The clown did that. I mean, I’ve seen that clown in action, IT’s a monster.” 

“He’s right, Bill. You know he’s right.” Mike sighs sadly, wishing he could take away the guilt that his husband shouldn’t have to feel.

“I know w.w.what happened.” Bill murmurs.

“I know what h.h.happened to G.G.Georgie w.w.was my f.f.fault.” 

“Wait, what?” Georgie’s eyes widen at his dad’s admission.

“My brother. M.M.My brother’s n.n.name was G.G.Georgie. His name was Georgie and I.I.I.” Bill can’t even bring himself to look at his son and finish his sentence.

“You named me after your brother.” Georgie nods in a understanding manner.

“I guess that’s why IT said that you weren’t the real Georgie, seeing as IT...” Mike pauses, a horrified look forming on his face.

“I don’t even want to think about that, oh my god.” Georgie buries his head in his hands.

This shouldn’t be happening.

He, Mia and their parents shouldn’t be here, they shouldn’t have to deal with this.

They should be at home.

His dad should be working on the movie with auntie Audra, papa should be figuring out which library to save, Mia should be in her room and he should be painting or talking to his friends on their group chat.

Georgie would give anything to be at home painting right now, anything but this.

Anything but seeing his sister terrified and his parents in such a traumatic state of affairs.

That stupid fucking clown...

“Please tell me we can kill IT.” Georgie mutters.

“W.W.What?” Bill stares at his son.

“IT, there’s got to be a way to kill IT, right? That’s why we’re here?”

“Yes, yes there should be...” Mike starts but Georgie cuts him off.

“I want in. I want to help kill that thing.”

“That thing took an uncle from me and Mia, I want to avenge my namesake and the uncle we could’ve had. I want to be a part of the ass kicking.” Georgie nods determinedly.

“N.N.No, it’s. It’s too d.d.dangerous.” Bill shakes his head anxiously, fear consuming him in an incredibly gut wrenching way.

“Dad, we’re already here! We’ve already seen the danger!”

“No! I w.w.won’t. I w.w.won’t l.l.lose you and M.M.Mia like I l.l.lost my brother.” 

“Bill, it’s alright, we’ll keep them safe.” Mike attempts to interject.

“H.H.How can we do that? H.H.How, M.M.Mikey? We n.n.never should’ve b.b.brought them here!” Bill raises his voice and buries his head in his hands.

“Bill, listen to me. I’d give anything not to be in this position right now, I’d give anything for Mia and Georgie to be back at home, unburdened by the knowledge of all this, but this? I don’t know, I think this was unavoidable and we have to, no we need to go over our options.” Mike declares and Georgie nods in agreement.

“W.W.What are we even d.d.doing here, Mike?” Bill sighs after a moment.

“Well...” Mike turns away to prepare a glass of water for his husband.

“We’re here to go over some of the things I’ve found.” Mike replies as he places a glass of water in Bill’s hand.

“It’s memories. Memory is the thing, the key. They’re the key to everything.” Mike explains as Bill takes a sip from the water and grimaces at the stale taste.

“If IT really d.d.does w.w.want us b.b.b...” Bill’s stutter cuts him off and he shakes his head in annoyance.

Yep, he definitely hasn’t missed that.

“Back h.h.here. Don’t you think the smartest thing to do would be to get ourselves, our kids, our friends and our friends kids the hell out of Derry?” Bill points out.

“Nah, we gotta kill that thing, dad. IT’s gotta die.” Georgie states in an almost matter of fact way that both Bill and Mike dislike.

He shouldn’t be the one saying something like that.

Their child shouldn’t be involved in this.

“No, no, no, I hate it myself, but our son is right and IT? IT does want us back here, after everything that happened twenty seven years ago, of course it does!” Mike explains, before gesturing to his work.

“But IT doesn’t know, I know what I know. I know how to kill the shit out of IT!” He exclaims.

“Look, Bill, Georgie, over the last twenty seven years I’ve read every book. I’ve talked to every person in this godforsaken town, everybody that was willing to talk to me anyway and honestly? That’s not a long list.” Mike admits to an almost understanding nod from his husband.

“I just. I just had to know how this all started, how IT started.” Mike reveals before pulling out, what looks to be an oddly decorative box.

“Wow.” Georgie remarks as he takes in the art his papa has just presented.

It’s a tallish, light brown, leather bound box like item that has decorative markings up and down the sides.

Despite the fact that he knows it is most likely connected to the clown, the artist in him finds the object to be extremely beautiful.

“Mike, w.w.what is...” Bill gestures towards the peculiar item.

“IT. It’s how IT started, IT started here.” He holds the object out towards Bill and Georgie, who begin to eye the intricate markings scratched into the brown leather.

“W.W.What am I looking at, Mikey?” Bill enquires when he has the object in front of him.

“It’s an artefact. Early eighteen century Shokopiwa.” Mike explains.

“How did you get it?” Bill enquires.

“Yeah, papa, that’s cool, weird, but cool.” Georgie’s eyes widen.

“I found it. No, they, they gave it to me....” Mike stops then sighs.

He has to tell them, even if it does make him out to be a terrible role model to his son.

“I stole it.”

“You, what, papa?” Georgie gasps at the same time Bill just stares at his husband.

“From Native Americans?!”

“It’s complicated...”

“Yeah, i.i.it is, Mikey w.w.what?!” Bill gives husband a confused look as a million and one thoughts begin to race through his mind.

“Papa, what, how and why did you steal this?” Georgie is equally as confused.

“IT, I had to take it because of IT, there was no other way, I researched, I did everything I could to find answers and taking this was part of the answer. Now, stealing is not something you should ever do...”

“Papa, in these circumstances I think we can look over that...”

“Georgie!”

“What, dad? If this things stops the evil supernatural clown that tormented you guys and nearly wiped me, my sister and our new friends out, then a little bit of theft? Well I think that can be excused.” Georgie shrugs and Bill just shakes his head, rubbing at it a little when it starts to feel a bit heavy.

“They helped me on journey, showed me things.” Mike explains softly.

“It’s so beautiful.” Bill remarks.

“Yeah, that’s what I initially thought, I know this is in no way possible, but if we come out of this alive, can I take this to art class?” Georgie runs his hand over the soft, but at the same time coarse leather.

“They showed me a vision and Bill, I am...” Mike bites his lip nervously as Bill steps away from the artefact, almost as if he were unsteady on his feet.

“Dad?” Georgie frowns.

“I don’t, I don’t, am I sweating...” Bill runs his fingers through his hair as his head starts to spin.

“Bill, I am so, so sorry, I promise I will make this up to you, but I need you to see what I saw.” Mike guides his husband to a nearby chair, before crouching down in front of him with the artefact.

“Papa, what have you done? Is he alright? What’s going on?!” Georgie’s eyes widen as he realises that there is something not right.

Something wrong with his dad.

“I didn’t have a choice.” Mike admits reluctantly.

“You didn’t have a choice about what?” Georgie looks anxious.

“I drugged him...”

“You did what?! Oh my god!”

“They did the same thing to me...”

“Who did?”

“The Shokopiwa.”

“The Native Americans?!”

Bill groans a little as his head turns, the spinning sensation getting almost too much to bare and he can barely make out what Mike and Georgie are saying.

“Are you telling me that the Native Americans’ drugged you? What even...” Georgie shakes his head in confusion.

“They had to show me this, it’s the only way to see how IT came about.” Mike admits.

“Ohh, so it’s a substance that’s opening up the mind?”

“Yeah, yes it’s exactly like that and whilst the last thing I ever wanted to do was to drug your father, I have to show him this. He has to see what I saw to understand how IT happened.” Mike explains.

“Can I see what happened?”

“No. Absolutely not, no way.” Mike shakes his head firmly.

“Oh come on, you’ve already drugged dad!”

“There’s a difference between doing this to your father and doing this to you.”

“Is there?!”

“Mikey...” Bill’s quiet voice brings Mike’s focus back to his husband.

“Bill, again I will do anything to make this up to you, but I need you to see what they showed me, Bill.” Mike tried to guide his husband even when the room begins to spin out of control for Bill.

Spinning into something that isn’t the shadowed outlines of his husband and his son.

“They live outside of Derry, beyond IT’s reach.” Mike starts to explain as Bill finds himself suddenly travelling through a lush green forest...

“They moved there many years ago, they’re holy men, the holiest of holiest.” Mike continues as Bill finds himself in a camp, surrounded by a group of people.

He sees Mike’s truck and Mike himself in this area, being surrounded by the unknown people of the area.

“They took me in when I visited and fed me their sacred material.” 

Bill’s eyes widen to an alarming size when the vision changes and he sees Mike and the members of the tribe around a fire.

When he sees ingredients being prepared, knives cutting through unknown materials that are tossed into a dark cup that Mike takes from them.

“I started to... See things, to react.”

‘All living things must abide by the laws of the shape that they inhabit.’ Bill hears a man whisper as he sees Mike tilt his head back and begin to scream...

“M.M.Mikey!” Bill tried to reach out towards his husband, but he can’t move.

He can barely speak as he is sucked into the ever changing warping vision that he’s experiencing.

“Whilst I sat there, overlooking the valley, I saw IT arrive.” Mike continues as the image changes for Bill to a shot of Mike, standing at the edge of a cliff, looking out over what must be the valley with an arm outstretched.

Bill reaches out to copy his husband’s movements, completely transfixed by the vision before him as he starts to see something burning across the sky.

“What can he see?” Georgie whispers to his papa as Mike rests a comforting hand over Bill’s knee.

“The beginning.” Mike replies as he bows his head, keeping the artefact held up for Bill to see as he tries not to think about how much he hates himself for putting his husband through this.

“I knew that one day, I would have to make you all see.” He sighs as the vision fades for Bill and he is able to see Mike and Georgie again.

Reminding himself that he’s in the attic of the library, Derry library.

Or is he?

What is going on?

What has...

“Mike... D.D.Did you put something in my d.d.drink?” Bill starts to try and make sense of things.

“Yeah, what actually is that drug, is it safe?” Georgie eyes his father’s worriedly again.

“It’s alright, he’ll be fine, it’s completely natural stuff. I never would’ve given it to him if it was dangerous and wasn’t completely natural, I’ve been given it, it’s fine, it is a root...”

“Y.Y.You... Y.Y.You d.d.drugged, you drugged me?!” Bill starts to raise his voice.

“It’s a root, a root with properties, all it is is a micro dose of what the Shokopiwa gave to me, it won’t hurt you, I promise, I would never... Bill, I would never put you in danger or at risk of anything like... It’s safe, I promise.” Mike tries to reassure him.

“W.W.Why... Why would you do that?” Bill starts as Mike grimaces and reaches for the artefact.

“To open your other eyes...”

“Other eyes... Mike? H.H.Have I grown m.m.more eyes?! I don’t feel real good”

“I need you to look and you’ll see.” Mike gently raises the artefact again so that Bill can see what he saw.

“I.I.I don’t feel good. I.I.I...” Bill trails off as the intricate designs on the eighteen century artefact begin to glow a deep orange.

“Open your eyes.” Mike speaks softly as Bill becomes transfixed by the orange glow.

“They showed me the past.” Mike begins as Bill starts to see light, circles of light travelling through a darkened tunnel.

The lights hitting a sinister spiked structure causes Bill to jump back a little as the light forms into three balls that begin to circle around each other.

They hit the engravings on the artefact, bringing an image to life, an image of an orange glowing bird of prey.

“They showed me way IT appeared to them.” 

Bill watches intently as the glowing bird starts to take shape, the skin of IT becoming like congealed branches as IT advances on a mangled figure, tearing it apart in one fluid movement.

“Dad!” Georgie grabs his father’s arm when Bill cries out from the horrific image, that Georgie himself cannot see.

Bill can only groan as he watches the consequences of IT feasting off of that mangled figure, watching how IT grows into something horrific, how IT begins to merge with the surroundings.

How fights began to break out.

“They showed me their pain...” Mike continues as Bill watches in horror as IT’s horrific form begins to open its mouth, how the shape of the mouth reminds him of Pennywise...

“They showed me how to stop IT!” Mike exclaims as the artefact begins to glow again, revealing an orange orb above what appears to be a mixture of people.

The orb splits off into three as the people are revealed to Bill one by one, their ominous chants filling his ears as the orbs begin to travel down, down amongst the people and straight into the artefact itself...

Mike lowers the artefact then, resting his hands carefully on Bill’s arms.

“It’s over, it’s over. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” He starts to apologise.

“You’re okay, you’re okay, I’m sorry.” Mike whispers as he rests on hand against his husband’s cheek.

Regret consuming him constantly as he really didn’t want to have to put Bill through that.

He shouldn’t have had to put Bill through that, but there was no other way around it.

No other way to show him...

“Dad.” Georgie grips his dad’s arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Did you see it? Did you see, it, Bill, the ritual...”

“The Ritual of Chud?!” Bill exclaims, finally managing to get a firm grip on reality again.

He is in the attic of the Derry library.

He’s with his son and Mike.

Sure, he just saw something incredibly horrific under the influence of a substance his husband slipped into his drink, but he’s not actually a part of that horrific vision.

He is as safe as he possibly can be given the circumstances, he’s with his son.

“I saw it...” Bill murmurs, finding that he can move.

“I knew you would, I knew that you would see it.” Mike is filled with a somewhat sense of relief.

“What actually was there? Can I see it?” Georgie eyes his dad and his papa at the same time.

“NO!” Bill and Mike chorus as Bill doesn’t even take his eyes off of Mike.

“I saw the w.w.whole fucking thing, Mike!”

“That’s how we kill IT.” Mike whispers softly, unsure of what else he can say at this exact moment in time. 

“It’s how we end this.”

“How are we going to do it?” Bill murmurs after a moment. 

“Kill the clown?” Georgie guesses.

“Yes.” Mike nods slowly. 

“E.E.Everybody, except S.S.Stan, already said n.n.no.” Bill points out.

“But with you? They’ll listen.” Mike states with a air of confidence that Bill has no idea how his husband has right now.

“This won’t work...”

“What won’t work?” Georgie frowns.

“Killing IT. We can’t kill IT without all of us, me, your dad, Stan, Beverly, Ben, Eddie and Richie.” Mike reveals softly.

“This won’t work without all of us.”

After locking up the library in moderate silence, Mike drives himself, Bill and Georgie back to the townhouse.

The journey was silent again, uncomfortable for Georgie, who could sense the tension between his parents in the air.

He’d tried to focus on thinking about his sister and their new friends, hoping that they’re alright and being reassured by the fact that he would see them soon. 

Which is why he was the first out of the truck when they finally parked up outside of the townhouse.

“G.G.Georgie!” Bill calls out to his son, who practically leaped from the truck the second it came to a standstill.

“He’s alright, look he’s inside, the others are in the reception.” Mike glances down at his phone, reading a message from Stanley that informs him that everyone is gathered in the reception area and that they’re waiting for him, Bill and Georgie to get back.

Bill lets out a sigh and rubs at his face with his hands.

“I c.c.can’t believe that you d.d.drugged me in front of o.o.our son.” 

“I’m sorry.” Mike winces.

“I had to get you to see the ritual, there was no other way, I’d never have been able to explain to efficiently enough.”

“I.I.I get that, Mike.” Bill mutters, still reeling somewhat from the disturbing images he was forced to witness.

“S.S.Should w.w.we go in? Mia...”

“Bill, wait.” Mike’s hand comes to rest over his husband’s in a gentle manner.

“What, Mike? W.W.What is it now?” Bill practically sighs, not sure if he’s quite ready to be confronted with any more information after the experience with The Ritual Of Chud. 

“I just... I wanted to apologise to you for all of this.” Mike admits to immediate silence from his husband.

“I know saying this isn’t gonna make things any better and I know you’re angry, you have every right to be angry with me for this, but, if I may, I’d very much like to explain why I felt the need to do this.”

“I know why, y.y.you’re trying to s.s.stop IT. You’re just doing w.w.what we s.s.swore an o.o.oath to do.” Bill points out.

“Yes, but that’s not what I meant.” Mike admits.

“I know you’re angry that I didn’t tell you what was going on, that I lied about it for twenty seven years, but the reason that I did that, was because I thought I was protecting you, because I barely knew how to keep what happened in my head. You see, Bill, I left notes everywhere. I made damn sure that I’d never forget this place and that I’d come back here every other week just so I wouldn’t forget, so I could find stuff like The Ritual Of Chud. There was no other way. Sure, I could’ve chosen to stay in Derry, but I knew that I couldn’t lose you. I couldn’t just let you go and then... I couldn’t bear it if you’d forgotten who I was, which I knew you would if we’d separated, which is why I forced myself to keep remembering whilst I spent twenty seven wonderful years with you.” Mike reveals and the memory of those years brings a smile to Bill’s face, he can’t help it.

Those twenty seven years with Mike were some of the best of his life.

They were the best years of his life.

He spent them with the man he loves more than anything, they had their children. It was perfect, absolutely perfect...

“I k.k.know, I know, I get t.t.that.” Bill admits, before sighing.

“I just d.d.don’t know why y.y.you felt like you c.c.couldn’t tell me about a.a.all of this, w.w.why you had to lie to me.”

“Bill, I will spend the rest of my days trying to make this up to you, trying to apologise for keeping you in the dark.” Mike admits.

“I found it hard, I found it extremely hard to keep reminding myself of the things that my mind wanted me to forget. It was almost as if I had to relive it. Every time anything slipped from my mind, no matter how small, I’d be reminded of it and then that would hit me and I’d... It messed with my head, Bill. Every time I remembered things that my head was slowly causing me to forget, it was almost as if it was happening all over again and I wanted to tell you, I did. It took everything in me not to tell you. Not to call Beverly, Ben, Eddie, Stan and Richie...” Mike trails off.

“I spent twenty seven years fighting the urge, wanting to let you in, but that would’ve been cruel, it would’ve been too much, for you.”

“Y.Y.You couldn’t know that, h.h.how do you know that?” Bill retorts.

“Because I knew how I felt if I even forgot one detail of what happened to my parents, what happened in this town. I know the feeling it gave me, the despair. The days where I...” Mike shakes his head.

“Bill, I could’ve told you about all of this, kept reminding you of what you couldn’t remember but that would’ve hurt you. That would’ve caused you so much pain and I’d never have forgiven myself for hurting you like that, for making you remember what happened to Georgie and all of us in this goddamn town over and over again. I couldn’t do that to you, I love you too much to do that to you.” Mike points out.

“B.B.But you were a.a.alone in this. Y.Y.You...” 

“I managed, I got through it.” Mike shrugs.

“D.D.Did you?” Bill raises an eyebrow at his husband.

“Just about, besides. I always had you to come home to. No matter what I remembered, no matter what I learnt, I always had you to come home to and then we had Georgie and Mia and I had them to come home to as well. My family. I was never alone, I had you guys. Do I wish I’d had your help in this? Of course I do and I hate that I had to lie to you about all this, but there was no way that I was gonna put you through reliving what happened to your brother.” Mike states.

“Mike.” Bill squeezes his husband’s hands.

He can see it.

He can see what his husband has done for him and in a way, he can understand it. 

“I just didn’t know what I could’ve done differently. I couldn’t put you through what I thought would’ve been worse than this.” Mike continues.

“I’m sorry for keeping you in the dark and I am so, so sorry for drugging you like that. That was out of my control, you had to see the ritual, it was unacceptable, yeah, but also unavoidable and I’m sorry, I know you’re mad and you have every right to be, but I’ll make it up to you, Bill, I swear.” 

“I know. I k.k.know you w.w.will and y.y.yeah I have m.m.mixed. I have mixed thoughts about this, Mike, but I know m.m.my husband and I k.k.know your intentions were good.” Bill cuts him off, squeezing his hands tighter.

“D.D.Do I wish you’d t.t.told me so you h.h.hadn’t have had to do this a.a.alone? Of course, b.b.but I understand w.w.why you d.d.didn’t, alright? I g.g.get it and even t.t.though I’m a bit p.p.pissed.”

“A bit pissed?” Mike frowns.

“Q.Q.Quite pissed.” Bill corrects himself.

“I still l.l.love and will always love you, Mike.”

Mike beams then, sure they’ve got a long way to go, untold and unprecedented dangers to face, but his husband still loves him and with that, Mike thinks that he can face anything else and take it in his stride.

Mike leans forward and kisses him then, it’s a brief kiss, but it’s meaningful and warm.

Bill loving him is the most important thing in the world to the once homeschooled farm boy.

He wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.

“I l.l.love you Mikey.” Bill wraps his arms around his husband then. 

“I love you too, Bill.” Mike hugs him back.

It’ll be time to face reality soon.

Time to focus and remind themselves of the harrowing danger that they are unwilling a part of, but for now?

Now Mike just wants to hold onto his husband.

“Okay, so what do you mean that you’ve seen us all die?!” Eddie Kaspbrak-Tozier exclaims as he’s finishing up checking out Alec’s head wound, whilst giving the kid some ice and warning him to tell someone if his vision gets worse again within the hour.

His reaction to hearing Beverly’s announcement had not necessarily a positive one, but he’s determined to make sure that Stanley’s son, Bill and Mike’s daughter and the random girl they’ve found’s wounds are seen to.

He’d already managed to clean out and stick a dressing over the moderately large cut on Mia’s throat and he think he’s just about finished sorting out Alec’s head wound, that has honestly made him quite nervous.

“Yeah, because I’ve gotta be honest that is a fucked up thing to just drop on somebody.” Richie states.

Ben pours himself a drink and Stanley continues to bury his head in his hands as Sara assures Sabrina, Mia, Wanda, Stan and Alec that she’s alright as she sits next to Sabrina, who Eddie is now tending to. 

Beverly wipes tears from her eyes and Wanda moves, moving so that she’s knelt down beside her mother.

“Every night since Derry I’ve been having these nightmares.” Beverly admits in a quiet voice, unable to look her friends or her daughter in the eye as the memories of the nightmares invade her mind and force her to remember the horrific things she has seen happen to Ben, Stanley, Bill, Richie, Mike and Eddie.

“People in pain... People dying, Ben dying...” Beverly let’s out a cry at the very thought and Ben rushes to her side.

“Shh.” He murmurs as he puts an arm around her.

“I’m okay, we’re okay.” He gestures to the other Losers’ as Wanda rests her head against her mother’s lap, reaching over her to grab her dad’s hand.

“So, you have nightmares. I have nightmares, Richie gets nightmares, people have, they have nightmares, but that doesn’t mean that your visions are true.” Eddie panics as he tries to find a rational explanation to what Beverly is telling him whilst he’s wiping away the blood that stains Sabrina’s bruised face.

“Eddie, they’re real.” Stanley murmurs.

“Okay and what happened to you again? You got attacked by Pennywise and you didn’t think to tell us about that?!”

“Yeah, Alec why didn’t you mention that?” Sara raises an eyebrow at him.

“Would you have believed me if I did?”

“I would’ve.” Sabrina murmurs.

“We’d have believed you after that thing attacked us.” Stan points out.

“Oh god.” Eddie groans.

“Don’t forget that Beverly here saw that too.” Richie mutters.

“What?”

“Stanley getting attacked by Pennywise.” Richie reminds him.

“WHAT?!” Eddie exclaims again as Beverly continues to cry.

“I’ve watched every single one of us...” 

“Georgie!” Mia looks towards the door at the sight of her brother jogging into the room.

“You’re back!” Wanda rises to her feet so that she can meet her new friend half way.

“Yeah, we’re back, what’s going on?” Georgie hugs Wanda, looking between his sister, Alec, Stan, Sara, Sabrina and their parents.

“Things escalating, that’s what you’ve missed, things escalating quite dramatically.” Stan starts to explain as Georgie heads to hug his sister.

“Yeah I leant some crazy shit too, what’s happened here?”

“Well, apparently Alec’s dad got attacked by Pennywise at their home, we don’t exactly know how that happened yet.” Stan starts to explain. 

“I don’t know how that’s even possible, I mean I thought the fucking clown was tethered here from what Alec was saying?” Sara cuts him off.

“Hey, I thought it was.” Alec holds his hands up.

“Well obviously it’s not if IT fucking attacked your dad! How did that thing even get to you anyway, can the clown transport? Does the clown have transport?!” Sara tries to work it out.

“Yeah.” Stan nods at a perplexed Georgie.

“Wanda’s mom saw...”

“Saw what?” Bill queries as he and Mike approach Beverly hand in hand, Mike being the first to let go so he can go to embrace Mia.

“The thing that happened to Stanley... What I saw happening to Stanley, that’s how we end.” Beverly sniffs as Bill rests a comforting hand on his friends shoulder as Ben holds her closer and Wanda joins him.

“W.W.What happened t.t.to...” Bill looks up at Stanley.

“Something absolutely fucking wild, man. Apparently, the clown has transport and nearly killed them in their home, oh and she apparently saw the whole thing.” Sara gestures between Beverly, Alec and Stanley.

“What h.h.happened?” Bill squeezes Beverly’s shoulder before walking towards Stanley, who can barely even look at the man that comes to stand in front of him.

Knowing that if he looks Bill in the eye that he’s going to break.

That he’s going to reveal that he’s lying.

That he almost killed himself and that he very nearly let Bill down.

“The clown, IT... IT appeared to me when I was in the bathroom. IT wanted... IT wanted me dead, there and then, before I even decided to come...” Stanley looks down at his feet, trying to keep himself from crying.

“It’s a.a.alright.” Bill rests his hands on his shoulders.

“How?! How is any of this alright, Bill?!” Stanley’s eyes begin to burn with tears.

“I.I.I didn’t mean it like t.t.that. You’re h.h.here now, it’s alright b.b.because you’re with us.” Bill points out and Stanley is lost for words.

Bill squeezes his friends shoulders in a comforting manner, before heading to sit down beside his daughter.

Mia immediately launches herself into her dad’s arms the second Bill kneels down.

“So, you were in the bathroom when IT attacked you? Were you on the toilet?”

“No, Richie! Why the fuck would you even ask that?” Stanley glares at the annoying comedian.

“Well, Bev just said that, that’s where all of us fucking end up and I don’t know about you, but I don’t wanna have to fucking worry all the goddam time about getting fucking murdered by a supernatural clown from my childhood every time I take a shit!” Richie exclaims.

“I said it, I totally said it, didn’t I? eighty nine percent of the worst accidents at home happen in bathrooms.” Eddie reminds them of something he once said as a kid.

“How did you get away?” Mike queries.

“Um...” Stanley tilts his head to the side.

“I heard the noise, my mom didn’t but I was near and I sprayed IT with the plant stuff I had.” Alec cuts in, saving his dad from answering.

“So you already knew that spraying IT with your plant stuff would work?” Georgie eyes his new friend.

“Kinda?”

“Alright, evil fucking clown VS weird plant stuff aside, how come the rest of us aren’t seen that shit.” Richie indicates towards Beverly.

“I. I mean, what makes her so different?” 

“The Deadlights.” Mike declares.

“Okay, what the fuck is a ‘Deadlight’?” Sara is the first to react.

“Nothing good.” Sabrina murmurs as Eddie places an ice pack on her swollen knee.

“Some really fucked up shit.” Richie murmurs.

“How much worse can this get?!” Stan quietly screeches. 

“Worse.” Alec nods in agreement.

“The Deadlights are a thing, a very bad thing that Pennywise could control and Bev saw them, she got trapped in them.” Ben explains to the others as Beverly leans into him, holding his hand against her chest as she closes her eyes and tries not to think about that day.

Her memories of the Deadlights...

“The fucking D.D.Deadlights...” Bill murmurs as the memories return to him.

His younger self running into the cistern, his feet engulfed in grey water as he’d raced into the very centre of the cistern to find Beverly paralysed midair. 

Trapped in the Deadlights.

Floating... 

Beverly buries her head into the side of Ben’s neck, practically crushes his hand and just does every single thing that she can to distract herself from the memories that invade her mind.

Pennywise’s grotesque mouth extending, revealing the Deadlights to her as his blood stained, white gloved hands clutched at her neck.

Suspending her in the air as she’d been sucked into the...

“S.S.She was the only o.o.one of us that got c.c.caught in the Deadlights that d.d.day.” Bill’s voice drags Beverly back to reality.

“Which is why my mom gets visions of you guys dying? Of my dad dying...” Wanda feels lost.

Lost and helpless.

“She saw Stanley getting attacked and that happened, so everything she’s seen, it’s going to come true. IT’s... IT’s going to...” Mia trails off, unable to say the words.

Unable to accept the fact that IT really could kill her parents and her new friends’ parents.

“Might be an unpopular idea here, but question. You’ve seen us all die, but that’s just me, Eddie, Stanley, Ben, Bill, Mike and yourself right? You haven’t... I mean you haven’t seen...” Richie can’t even bring himself to finish that sentence.

“No, no, I haven’t, but Richie...” Beverly shakes her head.

“I mean yeah, sure it would fucking suck, but if we got out with our kids, then at least they’d be alright you know.”

“NO!” Sara, Stan, Alec, Mia, Georgie and Wanda all begin to argue immediately.

“How can you even say that?!” Stan exclaims.

“Dad, we’re not fucking losing you to that thing.” Sara shakes her head.

“Yeah, we’re gonna fight it this time and win, no one’s gonna die.” Georgie glances at his parents with worry in his eyes as Mia’s fill with tears.

“We’re not just gonna let you die.” Alec states firmly.

“Mom, dad...” Wanda looks up at her mother and her father with a similar look of worry in her eyes and Ben embraces her immediately.

“Think about it, Richie. We die, IT kills us and who do you think it’ll go after twenty seven years from now?” Mike murmurs.

“You gotta be fucking kidding, how would that work?!” Richie cries.

“IT has gotten a good look at them now, it knows who they are and what they mean to us, what’s to stop IT from going after them in the future? What if they’re got to stop IT? We can’t do that, we can’t take that chance!” Mike points out.

“Yeah, I’d rather kill IT when I’m nearly sixteen instead of when I’m forty three and don’t have a dad because the clown killed him.” Alec adds.

“He’s right, we have to face this thing now, right here, right now whilst there’s still time left to do so. We were all touched by IT. The seven of us back then and the seven of you now.” Mike points out as Beverly breaks away from Ben and Wanda to make a grab her cigarettes.

“Sweetheart...” Ben sighs.

“Not right now.” Beverly shakes her head, her fingers fumbling with her lighter.

Alec glances at the lighter longingly.

If it wasn’t because his dad was here and knowing that, despite the entire situation that’s currently going down that his dad would have a cow and the whole damn farm, Alec too would’ve probably whipped out an emergency blunt of weed right now with the amount of stress that they’re under.

“Don’t even think about it.” Eddie gives Richie a warning glare when he reaches towards Beverly for a cigarette.

“The only difference is, is that IT changed us back then, deep down like an infection, or a virus, a virus that has probably started to grow in our kids now too because IT knows them, they’ve fought IT now. You understand, right?” Mike reaches towards his friends, but Eddie moves out of the way so he can stand with his kids.

“Slowly growing and as I keep saying, that virus has been growing for twenty seven years, this whole time, metastasising, it got to Stanley first because...”

“I’m the weakest.” Stanley shrugs.

“N.N.No...”

“Absolutely not!” 

“No!” Bill, the other Loser’s and their children come together to chorus at the same time. 

“Dad, no.” Alec shakes his head.

“Come on, man, that’s not true.” Ben gives him a sad look.

“Jesus Christ, Stan! H.H.How could you e.e.even say that?” 

“Because it’s true?”

“No, no it’s not. IT came after you, because you’re smart, because you remembered everything straight away, because you’re not afraid of IT.” Alec reasons.

“I wish that were true, Alec.” Stanley murmurs.

“Probably is, I mean you’ve always acted like you’re ancient compared to us. IT can’t cope with something potentially older than itself am I right?” Richie jokes to an annoyed look from Stanley.

“Shut up, Richie!”

“Speaking only the facts at hand, Staniel.” Richie holds his hands up with an underlying grin as he heads for the bar.

“Regardless of who IT came after first and why, if we don’t stop IT now, what Beverly sees, it will come to pass. It’s what will happen to all of us eventually and I’m honestly terrified that IT’ll latch on to our kids next and they’ll have to deal with IT.” Mike admits.

“Yeah, which none of us want to fucking do.” Sara adds.

“None of us want to deal with this thing now!” Stan buries his head into his hands. 

“Can we stop IT now? I mean, if all of us work together, I’m sure of seven of you guys could fight IT off to the point of wearing IT out, then the fourteen of us can actually kill IT.” Alec points out. 

“We can.” Georgie nods.

“Can we?” Mia doesn’t look hopeful and neither does Stanley, Stan, Richie, Eddie or Wanda. 

“I mean, we have to try, right? There’s got to be a way.” Alec argues.

“There is, papa was showing me and dad something, we can stop this, right?” Georgie looks up at his papa.

“Yes.” Mike nods, exchanging a look with his son and his husband.

“How the hell are we supposed to do that?!” Eddie exclaims.

“What if we got a gun?” Sara enquires.

“What?” Eddie raises an eyebrow at his daughter.

“A really big ass gun. Sure, it might sound a bit dumb, but hear me out, if we got a big enough gun, surely if IT can get slowed down by plant water, then a gun can do some damage. I mean, from the sounds of this place? it’d be easy to get one.” Sara points out.

“I mean, yeah, there’s a lot of gun related violence around here, this place is pretty much a mess from what I’ve read.” Stan agrees.

“I could find us a gun.” Sabrina offers.

“What?!” Eddie starts to protest, but Richie cuts him off. 

“I mean we never had anything like that back then.” Richie shrugs.

“We did have a metal spike which I drove through IT’s eye and that didn’t kill IT.” Beverly reminds them.

“Besides, Bill shot that thing straight through the head and IT didn’t work, actual weapons are out of the question when it comes to actually killing IT completely.” Mike explains.

“We need to do The Ritual Of Chud.” 

“The Ritual of?” Wanda shakes her head as the others join her in her confusion.

“It’s a real thing, that’s what he was explaining to us.” Georgie tells her.

“The Shokopiwa, the first ones who ever fought IT, they were saying that ‘all living things must abide by the laws of the shape that they inhabit’...”

“A tribal ritual?!” Richie cuts him off with a laugh of disbelief.

“Are you fucking kidding me, man?!”

“How the fuck is a ritual meant to work? Now that’s crazy.” Sara agrees with her dad.

“And a murderous supernatural clown isn’t?!” Alec retorts in Mike’s defence.

“I think IT’s more of an alien than supernatural? Apparently IT came down...”

“Supernatural? alien? Does it really matter, Georgie? IT’s going to kill us, we need a way of killing IT without IT killing us, would a ritual really work?” Mia glances up at her dad and her papa.

“Isn’t it worth a shot? I mean what else have we got?” Wanda puts her view point forth.

“Let’s think about this, Mike has done the research, he’s been back here and he’s done all the research, if he has something, then he’s looked into this, he’s certain. I, for one would at least attempt it, I mean what else have we got? We can’t do what we did last time or it just ends up in hibernation again and we’re probably still going to end up dead.” Stanley attempts to reason with the other Losers’ to nods from Bill, Mike and Georgie.

“Alright, there’s gotta be another way. Okay, this thing comes back, what every twenty seven years? How about we kick the can down the road and try to survive IT until then, move around a bit to do that and see if we’re still alive to kill IT then, because I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t think we’re ready to kill this thing in the short run.” Richie exclaims. 

“Wait, we’ll be seventy years old, asshole!” Eddie gestures at him with his hand in compete disbelief that his husband could say something so stupid.

“Idiot.” Stanley shakes his head.

“Rich, remember what you said earlier, we can’t risk IT killing us and then the responsibility of killing IT being passed down to our kids.” Ben speaks gently, trying to diffuse the tense situation between his friends and their kids.

“It won’t work. It doesn’t work that way or any way that we’re suggesting that doesn’t involve killing IT now, I mean what about Beverly’s visions, they’re not just going to disappear and they’re going to come true, I mean they almost already did.” Stanley adds.

“He’s right, none of us, apart from the kids make it another twenty seven years and the way it happens...” Beverly stifles another cry as warm tears slide slowly down her cheeks.

Ben pulls her closer and Richie pulls out a bottle from behind the bar and takes a shot.

“Richard...” Eddie growls at his husband, but Richie ignores him and starts drinking from the bottle.

“So, if we don’t beat IT this cycle then...”

“We die.” Bill answers Ben’s question, which was really more of a statement then an actual question.

“Horribly.” Eddie adds as Stan hugs him.

“Fuck.” Sara rests her head in her hands.

“Yeah, we don’t need the die horribly part.” Richie speaks in a quieter tone.

“I didn’t say it, she said it, not me, put that damn bottle down!” Eddie scolds Richie whilst holding his son.

Richie ignores him to an eye roll from Stanley.

“Alright, guys look, I’ve s.s.seen w.w.what he’s talking about a.a.and i.i.it’s a.a.all true. It’s the only way.” Bill backs Mike up.

“Really?” Mia looks up at him.

“Yeah, it was wild, papa drugged dad and showed him this ritual thing, I didn’t get to see it because I wasn’t allowed the drugs, but it’s definitely a real thing.” Georgie explains.

“Wait, Mike drugged Bill?” Eddie glances between his two friends and their son.

“Is that really important in the grand scheme of things?” Stanley sighs.

“I had to explain the Ritual, it was the only way.” Mike shrugs.

“Wish I’d fucking come with you now if there was drugs involved.” Richie comments.

“Jesus Christ, Rich.” Eddie shakes his head at his husband, a worried look in his eyes that Richie chooses to ignore so that he doesn’t have to think about the implication.

“How do we do the ritual? Do we need specific stuff?” Wanda enquires from where she’s practically sandwiched herself between Ben and Beverly. 

“I mean, I know where to get stuff. Sure, you guys grew up here, but I know modern Derry, lived here for seventeen years. I know where to find some really weird shit.” Sabrina offers.

“It’s a weird one, I think? I’m not sure if there is specific ingredients as such.” Georgie starts.

“Yeah, If we want this ritual to work...”

“We have to remember.” Mike cuts Bill off.

“Remember what?” Richie exclaims, not particularly sure if his mind can take anymore memories.

“There’s more you guys don’t remember?” Stan frowns.

“I don’t know, can’t remember, kid.” Richie replies to a cackle from Sara and Alec.

“Yeah, that was one of my better ones.” Richie smirks.

“Seriously.” Stanley shakes his head at them all, before focusing on Mike.

“How do we remember what we’ve forgotten? What have we forgotten?” Stanley frowns.

“It’s better if I show you.” Mike tells him.

“All of you.”

“All of us? No, no way. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to take my kids into Derry, not to mention the fact my daughter’s pretty much got a hole in her side, Alec’s got a concussion, Mia’s injured, Sabrina? it is Sabrina right? She can barely walk and I’m pretty sure he’s injured.” Eddie gestures to Georgie.

“So what? We leave them here and IT comes after them again? Fuck that, they’re staying with us.” Richie downs another portion of the bottle.

“Richard, do not...”

“Yeah, I wanna come with you guys. I don’t want to stay here after what happened.” Georgie agrees, looking up at his father’s.

“You are safer with us, I want you and Mia to stay where we can see you.” Mike nods.

“A.A.Alright.” Bill agrees, despite the frightened look on Mia’s face, which they do notice.

“You’ll be with u.u.us.” He holds her close.

“Every step of the way.” Mike adds.

“Yeah, we’ll kick IT’s ass before it even gets close to you.” Alec gives her a reassuring smile, that Georgie raises his eyebrow at.

“I’m coming too, dad. You can’t stop me.” Alec glances up at Stanley.

“I won’t, I’d rather we stick together.” 

“I would too.” Wanda eyes her parents.

“Of course, we wouldn’t leave you here after what IT already proved IT’s willing to do.” Ben agrees and Beverly nods.

“I don’t like this.” Stan admits.

“I mean, you and papa can stay here if you’re so worried.” Sara shrugs.

“No, we don’t want you to go out because you’re hurt, you could get an infection.” Stan argues.

“Is that likely though?” Sara gives him a look.

“Um, yeah? Haven’t you ever heard of a staph infection?!” Stan exclaims sternly causing Bill, Beverly, Ben, Mike and Stanley to stare at Richie and Eddie.

“Told you, tall Eddie.” Richie mouths to them before focusing on his husband.

“Come on, Eds, we’re probably more likely to run into one of your many risks if we split up, let’s all just see what crazy shit Mike has for us.” 

“Don’t call me ‘Eds’, asshole.” Eddie growls at him, before moving to grab the nearly drained bottle from Richie’s hands.

“Are you coming with us, Sabrina?” Wanda nudges her.

“Where else am I gonna go? Back to the place where Pennywise is snatching innocent kids? Run and get killed anyway? Besides, if I’ve seen this shit too, I’m a part of it. I don’t wanna get killed by a clown. I’d rather fight.” 

“Hell yeah!” Sara grins at her.

“Let go of the fucking bottle, fucknut!” Eddie can be heard and seen arguing with Richie.

“Nothing wrong with a bit of liquid courage before a death defying mission that’s probably gonna end up getting us fucking killed anyway!” Richie argues back.

Stanley shakes his head at them again, before giving Alec a ‘see what I had to deal with look, before Mike speaks up.

“We don’t have much time, this cycle will end soon and once it does.”

Eddie unleashes a tired and resounding sigh as he finally manages to yank the bottle out of Richie’s grasp.

“We’re fucked.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was cathartic to write, I adore Hanbrough. I am honestly so so sorry that I haven’t updated, I’ve had the time & there’s no excuse I’ve just felt so out of things that stuff just hasn’t gotten done. I have started the next chapter though, so I do hope that I’ll update sooner next time. Thank you for all your kind comments & kudos, it means the world to me. Thank you for reading. Please do comment if you can & tell me all your thoughts.


	10. The Barrens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Losers’ take a trip down memory lane.

I don’t own anything.

After a good fifteen minutes or more of Eddie and Stan expressing their concerns over the risks that could possibly occur if they chose to leave the townhouse, the two came to realisation that there was no convincing the others otherwise.

Bill made the mistake of checking his phone before he left, a wave of panic passing through him immediately when he realises just how many missed calls he has from Audra, the studio and more, including some very passive aggressive messages.

Bill has been surprised that Mike’s phone hadn’t been lighting up like his was too, but his husband revealed that he had a spare phone for the trip, just in case something like that happened.

Stanley and Alec called Patty and completely lied through their teeth about what they were doing and how they were doing.

Stanley had made sure that she knew that he loves her and refrained from using words such as ‘We’ll be home soon.’ Something, which the other Losers’ picked up on when they were milling around, waiting for the Uris’s.

However, it warmed all of their hearts, even Richie’s, to hear about the love Stanley evidently has for his wife.

They grabbed a couple of things that they would need and Eddie fussed over Sara, Alec, Mia, Georgie and Sabrina due to their injuries again before they finally left the townhouse.

Dawn was beginning to break through when they first left the townhouse.

Casting an almost light blue glow over Derry.

No one could hide the fact that they were nervous to be walking in the empty streets of Derry.

The kids still shaken by their encounter with Pennywise and the Losers because of everything.

Everything that they are slowly beginning to remember the longer they stay in the town they want nothing more than to run away from.

They’re terrified.

Terrified of what could happen to their kids, afraid of what could happen to them now that they are back and ripe for Pennywise to taunt all over again.

There’s just so much there, so many memories like that for them.

Memories that they know they would never be able to explain to their kids.

So much pain, sadness and fear.

It’s immensely unsettling for all of the Losers to be back in Derry.

They all have things they wish they could’ve permanently forgotten and they all know that those things are probably going to come back to bite them in the ass, courtesy of IT.

Many of the Losers almost had a panic attack the second they saw a missing persons poster wrapped around a metal pole or floating around haphazardly in the air.

Utter dread is associated with missing persons posters for them for sure, because they know that that person. That child, will never be returned to their parents.

That they were taken by IT and that their final resting place is that godawful cistern.

In all honesty though, Derry hasn’t changed much.

Even in the early hours of the morning, the Losers see the streets and the sights of the godforsaken town they grew up in and are immediately reminded of bad times, horrific times and even some good times.

It has noticeably aged though, buildings are not all that they used to be.

Places they used to go have been abandoned and are visibly decaying.

They try to look ahead though, focus on wherever it is Mike is planning on leading them to.

Mike and Bill walk ahead of them all with Mia in between them, Georgie on Mike’s side and Stanley walks closely beside them with Alec.

Beverly and Ben follow with Wanda in the middle of them and Richie and Eddie walk behind with Stan hovering between Eddie and Sara, who is still limping along with Sabrina.

Sara and Sabrina are practically leaning on each other and trying to keep away from Eddie and Stan, who both keep anxiously checking over them every five minutes to their annoyance.

They’re doing it to Alec as well.

“I’m honestly fine, my vision isn’t as foggy and I’ve hit my head...”

“Alec, don’t say a word, you’ll get them lecturing you on the risks that come with new head injuries on top of old head injuries or something, it isn’t worth it.” Stanley practically begs his son.

“So, papa was like this with you guys too? Jesus fuck.” Sara shakes her head.

“Hey! I’m just trying to look out for you, it’s not my fault that I know many facts about various wounds, infections and diseases.” Eddie points out.

“We k.k.know.” Bill replies, refraining from saying anything else, just in case Eddie and Richie haven’t told their kids about Sonia Kaspbrak’s A* parenting.

“Nothing wrong with it, pays to be well informed, I guess.” Georgie comments.

“Not that well informed.” Sara mutters and Richie smirks at his daughter.

“To be honest, I’m grateful that he knows so much about all that stuff. I mean, he stitched me up in the back of an alley.” Ben gives Eddie a reassuring smile.

“What?” Wanda looks instantly anxious and Ben wraps an arm around his daughter’s shoulders.

“It was fine...”

“It was not fine, man.” Eddie shakes his head.

“You were bleeding all over the place.”

“What happened?” Wanda looks up at her father.

“Ah, it doesn’t matter now.” Ben replies, not so sure that he wants to tell his daughter about Bowers and after exchanging a look with Beverly, he can tell that she doesn’t want to either.

“It was awful, there’s no getting away from that, but it turned out to be a good day. That’s how your dad found Bill, Eddie, Richie and Stan and I joined them too on that same day when I helped them get supplies from the pharmacy to patch him up.” Beverly tells her daughter.

“I remember.” Bill nods with a fond smile.

“Wish I’d been there.” Mike remarks and Bill squeezes his hand.

“I do t.t.to.”

“You didn’t miss much.” Stanley sighs.

“I remember asking if they’d gotten ‘the right stuff’ to fix you up.” Beverly grins up at her partner.

“Oh god.” Ben groans.

Beverly has never not teased him about his love for New Kids On The Block and now he’s back in Derry with her, he remembers more of the times that she teased him about it.

“I remember Eddie f.f.freaking out about the a.a.alleyway.” Bill smiles a little at the bittersweet memory.

“One of these alleyways? That must have been so unsanitary, it’s really cool that you did that, papa.” Stan glances towards a now softly smiling Eddie.

“Oh yeah, we can probably point it out for you guys.” Beverly tells the teens.

“I wonder if there’s still blood on the pavement.” Richie comments.

“Jesus, Richie.” The Losers make immediate sounds of disproval.

“Why?” Stanley looks just as tired as he normally used to when Richie came out with comments like that twenty seven years ago.

He never thought he’d get a Richie induced headache again, but here they both are, in their early forties, talking to each other like they were kids again.

“Just wanna know if Haystack left his mark on the fucked up streets of Derry.” Richie grins at Ben, who just shakes his head at his friend.

“Did Pennywise hurt him?” Mia asks in a quiet tone.

“Uh, no. For once, IT wasn’t involved.” Ben admits.

“Yeah, he ran straight into Henry fucking Bowers.” Richie mutters with much resent in his voice towards the psychopathic bully from their childhood.

“Richie...” Ben sighs.

“Who’s Henry Bowers?” Wanda enquires quietly.

“The human equivalent of the clown.” Stanley states.

“A terrible, terrible man that used to mess with us with a group of others. They were called the ‘Bowers’ Gang’ and they did everything they could to bully us every day.” Mike explains.

“They were fucking monsters, man. You wanna know what they did to Ben?”

“Richie!” Beverly shakes her head at him.

“It’s alright, mom. I want to know.” Wanda speaks up then.

“Can’t be much worse than what the clown did, right?”

“I don’t know about that.” Beverly murmurs.

“He and his gang cornered me one day, knocked me out and dragged me off to a bridge near the woods. You seen, this bridge was famous for name carvings an stuff and Bowers, he uh... He tried to carve his name onto my side.”

“Oh my god, dad...” Wanda’s eyes fill with horror.

“He only got one letter done before I got away and found Bill, Eddie, Stanley and Richie. Now I remember it, that’s what that scar on my side is from.” Ben murmurs and Wanda can’t keep the tears from forming in her eyes.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I hope that fucker’s dead.” Richie grumbles.

“I’m with you there, Rich.” Beverly agrees.

“Actually...” Mike starts quietly.

“Mike!”

“This entire trip is making me anxious as it is, I honestly don’t want to know what you were going to say about Bowers, please, god let’s just focus on IT and where we’re going.” Eddie speaks quickly.

Sara squeezes Sabrina’s arm then, having noticed the near terrified look on her face when they mentioned Bowers.

If anything, the last ten minutes has made it absolutely certain to Sabrina that there’s no way she should mention that she is the daughter of Henry Bowers to the parents of her new friends.

They’d hate her.

They seem like nice, if not a little bit unhinged, but she’s positive that they’d turn on her the second they knew.

“Hey, Wanda can I borrow whatever the fuck you used to get all that blood out of your hair. Think I got some dried in mine. I just got it to somewhat reach my shoulders, I don’t wanna have to cut it out.” Sara picks at what she hopes is dried blood caught to the black waves of her hair.

Also so that she can change the subject to make Sabrina feel more comfortable.

“Of course, I was actually getting a bit worried that it wouldn’t come out at one point. It was awful it was everywhere.” Wanda whispers in a way that reminds Beverly of herself.

“I think I’d like to wash my hair.” Mia nods in agreement.

“I just want a bath. I want a decontamination bath.” Stan shudders, still feeling extremely uncomfortable after the sights he’d seen in the house.

“I mean, I have definitely got blood in my hair and that is not great.” Alec adds.

“Neither is the head injury not properly treated by a medical professional.” Eddie can’t help but sigh.

“You kinda are though?” Alec points out with a smile.

“I am absolutely not a medical professional.” Eddie holds up a hand.

“Closest we’ll get to one though.” Stanley finds himself chuckling a little.

“Yeah, you should’ve become a doctor, Eddie.” Mike joins in.

“Alright, I might be sensible and sometimes a little health cautious, but the last thing I ever wanted out of life was to be in a hospital or doctor’s office, day in day out.” Eddie states.

“U.U.Understandable.” Bill nods knowingly, but doesn’t elaborate.

“I’ll n.n.never f.f.forget you patching us up when we u.u.used to fall off our b.b.bikes.”

“The bikes!” Stanley exclaims at the memory.

“I used to love my bike.”

“Oh my god, Bill was practically in a fucking relationship with his.” Richie smirks.

“Beep Beep, Richie.” Bill murmurs.

“He’s not wrong.” Beverly adds in a soft voice that makes the other Losers and the teens laugh.

“I remember Silver.” Mike nudges his husband.

“Silver?” Georgie and Mia glance up at their parents.

“My b.b.bike.” Bill smiles fondly.

“Didn’t you take it with you, Bill?” Stanley enquires.

“N.N.No, I don’t remember w.w.what happened to it. T.T.Think my p.p.parents must have s.s.sold it.” Bill sighs.

“W.W.Would’ve loved t.t.to have given it to Mia and Georgie.”

“Hey, you got me a pretty nice bike, dad.” Georgie points out.

“Don’t you have one?” Alec eyes Mia.

“No, I never wanted one. Trust me, they offered, but it just wasn’t my thing.”

“You’d have liked Silver. I know I did.” Mike nudges Bill.

“Oh y.y.yeah.” Bill grins back when he remembers the times he and Mike would ride on Silver together.

He liked riding on his bike with Beverly too, but it never compared to what it felt like to ride around on Silver with Mike.

Bill never understood what he was feeling for Mike back then.

It was one of the best days of his life when he finally understood what those feelings were and what they meant.

Falling in love with Mike is one of the best things he has ever done.

He remembers Mike’s laugh as he’d ride on the back of Silver with him.

A merry sound as they’d ride around together for what could be hours.

It almost makes Bill wish that he had the bike with him now.

That he could ride on it with Mike again.

That he could show it to Mia and Georgie and share the joy.

In all honesty, he wishes he was riding on it right now.

Leading the others as he used to twenty seven years ago.

All of them on their bikes again, riding through the streets of Derry.

_‘High-Ho Silver! AWAY!’_

“It’s hard to believe we actually had some good times here.” Stanley remarks.

“I used to love coming out to the park and watching the birds.”

“Oh fuck, the goddam bird thing.” Richie shakes his head.

“The bird thing?” Stan frowns up at his dad.

“Yeah, Staniel here had a real thing for bird watching, I never fucking got it.” Richie tells his son.

“He still does. My dad’s always out birdwatching.” Alec confirms.

“Fucking knew it.” Richie practically cackles and Stanley gives him a look.

“All the time, whenever you’re free right, dad?”

“Please don’t...” Stanley practically begs when he sees the grin on Richie’s face.

“He does it with my mom a lot. I’ve been out there too as I’ve got to admit, it is kinda relaxing.” Alec says in his dad’s defence.

“It is, I’ve been with Georgie and my dad’s.” Mia agrees and Stanley can’t help but beam proudly at Bill and Mike.

“Could never get behind it. I’d get so bored.” Richie snorts at the memory of attempting to go birdwatching with Stanley.

“I don’t even know why you tried, I warned you. I fucking warned you and you still insisted on staying and annoyed the shit out of me.” Stanley mutters to instant laughter from the rest of the Losers’ and the teens.

“I don’t know why you’re laughing Edward, Beverly and Benjamin! You guys were almost as bad as Richie! I could only ever birdwatch with Mike and Bill.”

“Why did you even try to go birdwatching with him, dad?” Stan eyes his father.

“Because, at the end of the day, it was still spending time with Stanthony and he is my oldest friend.” Richie replies.

“Unfortunately for me, he’s right.” Stanley deadpans with the starting of a mischievous grin.

“I still can’t believe that you forgot that you were best friends with the Richie Tozier.” Alec notes with a shakes his head.

“The best comedian of our generation.”

“He’s not all that, kid.” Eddie interjects.

“No, he’s even funnier in person.” Alec declares.

“Are you sure you and your wife didn’t adopt him?” Richie enquires.

“Richard...” Stanley growls quietly.

“What? It’s a valid question, you’ve always hated my jokes. Does your wife like them too?”

“Yeah, mom thinks you’re fun.” Alec confirms and Stanley just shakes his head.

“Stanley, I am claiming your son as my new godchild.”

“Hell yeah!” Alec turns around to exchange a high five Richie.

“Welcome to the family!” Sara high fives him too.

“Richard.”

“For the love of...” Eddie, Stan and Stanley make disgruntled noises at the same time.

“Oh, I claim all of you as my new godchildren by the way, just throwing that out there.” Richie adds.

“Nice!” Georgie grins, Mia and Wanda smile softly and Alec looks as if he’s on cloud nine.

Bill, Mike, Beverly and Ben just chuckle and silently approve.

Each one of them having thought that they definitely would have made each other the godparents to their children if they hadn’t have all forgotten each other for twenty seven years.

They approve of Richie’s statement.

“Why do you hate the spotlight so much Eddie, you’re actually considered to be a myth on some parts of the internet?” Alec queries.

“The fuck?” Eddie raises an eyebrow at the teen.

He’s said it before and he’s said it again, Richie’s fan base is fucking weird.

“He’s right.” Georgie, Wanda and Sara all confirm in one go.

“Yeah, he ain’t wrong, dad. I mean the only confirmed proof of your existence is that picture of you dad took when we were on vacation, same goes for Stan.” Sara reminds him.

“Well, that’s because I have an actual serious nine, sometimes earlier till five job and the last thing I fucking want is to be halfway through a risk assessment only to get interrupted by someone wanting to know shit about my husband.” Eddie explains.

“That’s fair.” Alec nods, before grinning at Richie.

“So how many of the stories you tell during your shows are actually true?”

“Every story I’ve ever told about my brilliant kids and my Eddie Spaghetti up on those stages are one hundred percent true.” Richie confirms.

“Trust me, I wish I could say that he’s fucking lying.” Eddie grumbles and Stanley flashes him a look of pure sympathy.

“So wait, does that mean that Eddie really does have a tattoo that says ‘No Dice’?” Alec grins.

Richie cackles immediately whilst Eddie groans and curses Richie out.

“You know, even though Richie’s shown me the pictures I still can’t believe that you actually got tattoos, Eds.” Beverly chuckles.

“Yeah, what about the needles?” Mike frowns.

“It’s not the same kind of needle.” Eddie sighs as Richie continues to talk to Alec.

“You know, can you really blame me for talking about them in my acts? Some of them are really fucking weird...”

“RICHARD!” Eddie growls at his husband as everyone else bursts out laughing.

It’s easy to forget what they’re actually in this town to do when they’re having conversations like this.

Conversations that remind the seven Losers’ of the bonds they forged when they were kids.

Moments that are now helping create new memories for their children.

Everyone’s getting to know each other again and they are very easily swept up by the happiness these exchanges bring.

Especially when Eddie manages to glare at them all and yell.

“What the fuck are you guys laughing at?!”

As the journey progresses, the Losers’ and the teens start to break away from the town of Derry.

The walk down a grassy hill, the one near an old bridge that trains still travel across.

They walk in almost the exact same formation as they did when they were kids, the only difference is is that they’re now with their kids.

_‘Yeah, Homeschool. Welcome to the Losers’ Club!’_

Richie remembers saying that to Mike as they’d walked down the bank together for the first time with Mike as an official member of the Losers’ Club.

Mike glances back at Richie and smiles at him, the memory clear as day in his mind too.

The further they walk, the more damp things begin to get as water starts to make its appearance.

Ben immediately remembers blood.

His own blood. His young bruised and tired body coming into contact with the wet rocks.

_'Holy shit! What happened to you?!'_

The moment he finally realised that he was safe from Henry Bowers was when he’d heard, Bill, Eddie, Stanley and Richie calling out to him from where they were stood, facing the entrance to the sewers.

In the exact place they are drawing close to now.

“Is this grey water?!” Stan practically shrieks.

“I know what you’re thinking, I’m thinking it too. Just hold onto me and don’t look down at it. Just don’t look down at it and don’t let your dad piss you off.” Eddie instructs as Stan holds onto his arm.

“This is where it all began for us.” Stanley speaks in a quiet voice.

“The first day of summer and here we were, looking for Georgie and a girl named Betty Ripsom.” Stanley starts to tremble a little as he sees the entrance to the sewers.

It’s as if he were suddenly twenty seven years younger and standing at the mouth of the beast with a reluctant Eddie, an annoying Richie and a strong willed Bill.

“Who’s Betty Ripsom?” Wanda queries.

“Another one of Pennywise’s victims.” Mike informs her in a solemn tone.

“Yeah, we uh, we found her shoe in there.” Richie gestures towards the gaping hole.

“You never found her?” Mia speaks quietly.

“We never found any of them, Mia.” Stanley admits to her.

“Yeah, Bev’s the only one that got taken by that thing and lived to tell the fucking tale.” Richie adds as all of the Losers’ and the teens eye the opening.

“T.T.This isn’t it, is it?” Bill turns to Mike, a nervous expression on his face.

Just being here makes all of his hairs stand up.

It fills him with inescapable anxiety.

A reminder that he brought Eddie, Stanley and Richie out here.

That he started this, because he thought that there was a chance that Georgie could still be alive.

That they could find his little brother and bring him home.

That they could maybe even bring home all of the missing kids.

They never did.

All they found was unimaginable danger and the revelation that all of the missing kids, including Georgie, were dead and gone.

“W.W.We’re not g.g.going in t.t.there?” Bill’s stutter starts to grow worse.

“No, shh, no of course not, we just have to pass this to get to the Barrens, it’s okay, Bill.” Mike presses a featherlight kiss to his husband’s forehead, before putting an arm around the shorter man’s shoulders.

“I hope we’re not, fucking yikes.” Stan looks disgusted whilst Wanda and Mia look anxious and even Georgie, Sara, Sabrina and Alec look unsettled by the idea of venturing into that.

“Fuck, Bill, remember Eddie and Stanley losing their fucking shit over us two standing in there?” Richie eyes his clearly troubled friend.

“Jesus fuck, you had that goddam fucking stick that you kept waving at me, which you were also using to throw shit at me!” Eddie turns on his husband and Sara can’t help but laugh.

“Yeah.” Richie smirks.

_‘Aren’t you guys coming in?’ Richie had asked Eddie and Stanley, who were standing at the entrance to the sewer, whilst he and Big Bill were already getting stuck in._

_‘Uh-Uh, it’s grey-water’ Eddie has shaken his head, a disgusted look on his face._

_‘What the hell’s grey-water?’_

_‘It’s basically piss and shit, so I’m just telling you! You guys are splashing around in millions of gallons of Derry pee, so... Are. Are you serious? What. What are you...’ Eddie had looked horrified as Richie had dipped a stick into the germ ridden waters._

_‘It doesn’t smell like caca to me señor!’ Richie had grinned._

_‘Okay, I can smell that from here!’_

_‘It’s probably just your breath wafting back into your face.’_

_‘Have you ever heard of a staph infection?!’ Eddie had retorted with a firm hand gesture._

_‘I’ll show you a staph infection!’ Richie did nothing but continue to grin as Stanley had never appeared more done with his two idiotic friends than he had in that moment as he’d tilted his head back, only one thought going through his mind._

_I’m surrounded by idiots._

“What?” Stanley raises an eyebrow at Richie, when he notices his friend smiling.

“Oh, just remembering shit.” Richie eyes both Eddie and Stanley.

“Anything important?” Eddie enquires.

“Important to me. Some new material for my acts for sure. You know, this place? It still doesn’t smell like caca to me señor.”

“Fuck you.” Eddie glares at his husband as Sara and even Stan start to laugh.

“God, I forgot how fucking adorable you were with your two dorky fanny packs. A tiny ball of gay rage, just screaming at me about staph infections and grey-water.”

“Fuck. You.” Eddie moves closer to his husband.

“Let’s not forget you jumping around in all this shit, wearing the same kinda clothes you wear now.”

“What I wear now is great, fuck you, Eds and Bill and I were trying to do a good thing back then, you know?” Richie points out.

“A good thing? You call dragging us into a death sewer doing a good thing?” Eddie raises an eyebrow at him.

“Eds, come on! None of us saw that fucking clown coming.”

“Forget about the fucking clown, If we’d have gone any further into that that shit an infection would’ve probably killed us long before IT even figured us out!” Eddie exclaims.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!”

“I can’t believe I’m spending another summer here.” Stanley mutters, a tired look in his eyes as he tries to ignore Richie and Eddie’s bickering.

“Are you okay, dad?” Georgie eyes Bill worriedly.

“Y.Y.Yes, just uhh... Thinking of.” Bill pauses, gesturing somewhat at the opening.

“Came h.h.here to look for him.” Bill glances at his son and his daughter.

“My b.b.brother.”

Georgie and Mike hug him then.

“It wasn’t your fault, dad. It wasn’t.” Georgie tries to reassure him, even though he realises that his attempts might be pointless.

That his dad truly believes that what happened to his brother was his fault.

“Did any of you guys know my dad’s brother?” Mia chooses to ask the other Losers’ when she is uncertain of what else to do as she joins the embrace.

Beverly, Ben and Richie shake their heads quietly.

“I kinda did, but I can’t really remember, I’m sorry.” Richie admits.

“I did. From what I can remember of him, he was gentle.” Stanley tells her.

“Yeah, he was kind, a sweet kid.” Eddie answers in the end.

“And your dad was a great older brother to him.” Eddie adds.

“He was and he’s not to blame for what a disgusting fucking nightmare clown did.” Stanley continues, keeping his eyes locked on Bill as he does.

“Right.” Eddie nods.

“Why do you remember more?” Georgie chooses to ask.

“Because I knew your dad the longest. An often forgotten fact about the Losers Club is that it technically started with me and Bill.” Eddie admits.

“He’s r.r.right.” Bill confirms.

“We’ve b.b.been friends t.t.the longest.”

“Then Bill and Eddie met me and Richie, we found Ben after Bowers’ attacked him, Beverly when she came to help and Bill invited her to the quarry and Mike when we defended him from Bowers.” Stanley explains.

“Still one of the best days of my life.” Mike admits with a soft look in his eyes.

“Honestly, I think I can say for all of us that all of our lives improved when we met each other.” Beverly smiles at the teens.

“Can we really say that?”

“Beep Beep Richie!”

They then turn away from the location that holds many unpleasant memories for the seven Losers’ and continue on their journey.

Chatting and laughing as they do, whilst trying to ignore the fact that they honestly feel extremely haunted.

After what seems like quite a long time, the Losers’ and the teens find themselves in a rather beautiful, lush green forest.

A place that immediately fills Bill, Mike, Beverly, Ben, Stanley, Eddie and Richie with a sense of familiarity and more memories from their youth.

Unbeknownst to them, it also reminds Georgie, Mia, Wanda, Alec, Stan, Sara and Sabrina of a recent memory too.

It vaguely reminds them of the area they were in only last night after escaping Pennywise and letting Sabrina take them somewhere.

To that underground bunker she found and was apparently used to visiting.

Sure, it looks much different in the light, but Alec, Stan, Georgie and Wanda can recognise some slightly distinguishable features.

“The Barrens.” Beverly announces with a warm smile.

“This is where we came, after the rock fight.” Ben adds, feeling Beverly squeeze his arm.

“Were we here last night?” Stan enquires quietly to Sabrina.

“Yeah...” Sabrina quietly admits.

“We’re near the bunker.”

“The bunker, what bunker?” Eddie latches into their conversation.

“After we got attacked, we brought a couple of pizza’s and Sabrina took us to this underground bunker in the woods.” Alec fills him in.

“She did what? You did what?! You went into the woods at that time of night?! How...” Eddie looks horrified.

“Okay, seriously, that’s dumb.” Richie agrees.

“W.W.Why?” Bill looks between each one of the teens.

“It’s fine, I’ve been going to that place for years, even when people started to go missing, I was never hunted down or anything, or scared even. It’s a safe place.” Sabrina defends herself.

“What’s a safe place?” Mike frowns.

“When I was younger, I ran away from the kids home I stay in. Stuff was going on there and I just had to get out of there, so I ran into the woods and I stumbled across this place, well I kinda fell into it and found an underground bunker.”

“Uhh...” Ben starts.

“Yeah, it’s super cool. Obviously someone with a lot of skills made that place, there’s this really, surprisingly comfy hammock down there. Sure, last night was awful, but finding that place wasn’t. I’m glad Sabrina took us there.” Sara glances to her new friend.

“Yeah, it really helped us calm down after what we went through.” Georgie adds.

“I don’t like the fact that you guys thought it was okay to go wandering around in some strange woods in the dark, especially after what happened. You should’ve gone straight back to the townhouse.” Eddie reprimands them.

“Y.Y.Yes.”

“Yes.” Bill and Stanley agree with him.

“An underground bunker? What’s it’s like?” Ben turns to Sabrina.

“Seriously, that’s the question you’re asking? What the fuck, man?” Richie raises an eyebrow at Ben.

“Old, well made. It looks hundreds of years old, but it was filled with weird comics, this radio and a hammock that I kinda fixed up. I’ve been going there ever since I found it, whenever I need a break from everything, it’s a really nice place and as I said, I was certain it was safe or I wouldn’t have brought them to it.” Sabrina makes her thoughts known.

“I keep some of my stuff in there because I know I’m the only one who knows about it that lives in Derry, but I didn’t change anything because I thought that might have been disrespectful. I think it’s around here somewhere, I’m not sure. I tied a pink ribbon around the hatch, but I forgot to tie it back on last night.” Sabrina reveals that she’s wearing the neon pink ribbon around her wrist.

“I know the place you’re talking about.” Ben smiles at her then, before turning to Bill, Mike, Beverly, Stanley, Eddie and Richie.

“We all do, right guys?” Ben grins to puzzled looks from the others, apart from Mike, who is nodding.

“The Clubhouse!” Richie exclaims suddenly as the memory hits him.

“Oh my god, you built that for us!” Beverly laughs softly, leaning against Ben.

“Wait, what?” Wanda’s eyes widen as all the teen’s begin to react to the revelation that the amazing underground bunker Sabrina took them too not even twenty four hours ago was actually a place their parents used to go to.

That they built it.

It was their clubhouse?!

“Hold the fuck on, you built that bunker we went to last night?! Holy fucking shit.” Sara gasps.

“That’s so cool.” Georgie nods.

“Really? You guys built the bunker I’ve been going to for years?” Sabrina looks between all of the adults, amazement etched upon her face.

“Ben did, we personalised it a little, but Ben did all the hard work.” Beverly explains.

“It was brilliant.” Mia smiles.

“And this is why you’re Mr. Famous Architect, Haystack.” Richie eyes Ben, who looks away, ever so slightly embarrassed.

“That’s awesome! Oh my god, that’s crazy!” Alec grins.

“I can’t believe you built that death trap.” Stan shakes his head.

“It’s not a fucking death trap.” Sabrina shakes her head.

“Do you know where it is?” Ben queries.

“I forgot to put the marker back down.” Sabrina admits.

“Well, the hatch has got to be around here someplace.” Richie retorts.

“Wait, I do, I do remember this.” Eddie smiles at the thought of comics, hammocks and Richie.

Ben nods and begins to move around the lush green area, tapping his foot against the ground to see if it will come into contact with the wooden hatch.

“You know what, I actually think the door was more like...” Ben continues to push against the ground with his feet.

“Around...”

The ground suddenly gives in with no warning whatsoever, sending Ben tumbling down into a dusty area.

“DAD!”

“BEN!” Wanda and the others’ call out to him the second the ground gives way.

Ben lifts his slightly aching head slowly, clouds of dust filling his eyes as he does so, but he starts to smile regardless when he realises where he is.

“Found it.” Ben groans from the ground.

“I’m okay!” He yells up to his family and friends as he moves to get to his feet.

“Come down!”

However, the area around him suddenly changes and Ben becomes momentarily concerned that he’s hit his head harder than he thought he had.

As the Beverly that climbs down is thirteen.

At first, Ben thought it was Wanda, but it is is clearly Beverly with her short curly hair and her vast variety of pretty rings and necklaces.

“Bev...” Ben starts and gasps when the thirteen year old versions of Richie, Bill, Eddie, Stanley and Mike follow her.

Which is when he realises that his younger self is standing beside him.

Ben practically shudders at the sight of himself as a young boy.

He hates how he used to look and did everything in his power to change himself.

For Beverly and for his own peace of mind.

He can’t help but smile a little though, when the young Beverly starts to smile.

_“What the dick is this? How’d you built it?” Richie exclaims the second he drops down from the ladder._

_“When did you build it?” Bill looks around the empty space with a sense of wonder in his eyes._

_“Here and there, I guess. It was already dug out from something, so uh. All I had to do was reinforce the walls and uh get some wood for the roof door and that was pretty much it!” Ben explains to them._

_“Pretty good for my first time, yeah?” Ben pats one of the wooden pillars, which accidentally causes part of the roof to cave in on a distant side of the bunker._

_“Now that’s a cool feature. What happens when you put your hand on the other pillar professor?” Richie gives him a sarcastic response._

_“Okay, you see, this is exactly why there are safety codes. Why we have permits.” Eddie makes a gesture with his hands at Ben, a nervous look on his face._

_“This place is a death trap, you understand that?”_

_“Well, it’s a work in progress, okay Eddie?” Ben sighs in a tired voice._

_Slightly hurt that his friend would call his invention a death trap, even though he knows he probably should have expected that._

_“Just so you know, if I get hurt, you are liable and also what is this? The switch of iron maiden?” Eddie briefly brushes his fingers up against a strange contraption hanging from the roof._

_“That... That’s a flashlight.” Ben replies._

_“And what is that? A horse hitch? When do you have horses down here... Ooh this is cool.” Eddie picks up a small device that catches his eye off of the ground._

_“That was like three dollars, so be careful with that please.” Ben requests._

_“I have one of these. Okay, Stan do you see this?” Eddie begins playing with the paddleball, getting right up in Stanley’s face with it._

_“Okay, can you maybe not?” Stanley sighs reluctantly as Bill, Beverly and Richie raise their eyebrows at their friends._

_“Maybe not what yeah? Yeah, hold on. Maybe not what? Be awesome and have fun and celebrate the magic of the paddleball?” Eddie continues to annoy Stanley with it until the force of which he is playing it with causes the ball to break away from the string._

_The ball in question rolls around the ground, before sliding into the slot between the wooden boards._

_“Wow! Oh good going fucknut, you broke his thing.” Eddie declares._

_“I broke it?!” Stanley looks annoyed._

_“You broke it with you face!” Eddie retorts, a disgusted look appearing on his face as he glances to where the ball has rolled to._

_“What?!” Stanley doesn’t even know how to react to his friends stupidity._

_“I’m not putting my fucking hand down there.”_

The memory ends and Ben finds himself stood right back in the clubhouse, the clubhouse he built.

It’s stood the test of time.

The furniture he made is still there and so are the Losers’ various decorative pieces, as is the future he made and the hammock is still hanging.

The only difference Ben can actually see is that there are a few items that he guesses must belong to Sabrina and that it is certainly cleaner than it should be.

“Oh wow.” His Beverly laughs as she climbs down.

“I can’t believe it’s still here, well I can, you did build this after all, but oh... It’s hardly changed.” She beams and moves to help Wanda down.

“I can’t believe this was all you, dad.” Wanda looks around in awe.

Sure, she was here last night, but now it’s daylight and she knows that it was her dad that made this place the way it is.

“It was and still is amazing.” Beverly crosses the space so that she can go to Ben’s side, sliding one of her arms around his waist as they watch their daughter explore as the others start to climb down.

“Oh, I’ve missed t.t.this.” Bill declares as he helps Mia down.

“It’s so peaceful, I can see why.” Mia agrees as Mike and Georgie climb down.

“I used to sit in that wooden swing all the time!” Mike grins as he eyes the wooden swing in the far corner of the clubhouse, that he remembers sitting and relaxing on.

“I was sitting on that last night.” Georgie smiles at the very thought of having been sat where his papa once was.

“I still think this is so cool.” Alec remarks as he jumps down into the clubhouse, followed by his dad.

“Shit.” Alec rubs his head lightly, as dropping down into the clubhouse causes him further discomfort.

“Wow...” Is all Stanley can say as he takes in the image before him.

“This takes me back.” He gives Bill and Mike a soft smile whilst moving around, his fingertips brushing over one of the wooden pillars, his eyes dancing over the rest of the clubhouse.

Landing on the wooden planks, where he can still see the faint outline of the small paddleball that a much younger Eddie had been shoving in his face.

“Shit, is that ball Eddie broke off the paddleball still down there?”

“No fucking way.” Eddie calls as he drops down into the clubhouse, helping Stan down as well.

“I still think this place is kind of a deathtrap.” Stan admits upon re entering the Clubhouse.

“Eddie said the exact same thing when I first brought him here, I was hurt.” Ben admits.

“It’s not that I didn’t trust you, I just didn’t trust the fucking structure.” Eddie admits as he moves to help Sara get down.

She groans immediately when the jolt causes pain to rip through her already injured side again.

“Are you okay? You know, we can still go to the hospital...”

“I’m fine, papa. Stop fussing.” Sara rolls her eyes at him as Richie climbs down.

“Wow!” Richie chuckles as his eyes immediately fixate on the hammock that really shouldn’t be still hanging after twenty seven years.

Happier memories filling his head for once

Memories that cause him to wrap an arm around Eddie and rest his head on his shorter husband’s shoulder.

“Hey, Eds now that we’re married I can now admit to you that I totally want to...”

“EWWW!”

“WHAT THE FUCK?!”

“Oh my god, no!” Stan and Sara look immediately horrified and one hundred percent disgusted at their parents.

“We don’t need to know this!” Stan shrieks to a cackle from Richie and an apologetic look from Eddie.

“Oh, I know.” Eddie cuts him off, patting his husband’s leather-clad arm.

“Not that this is the time, or the place, but you weren’t the only one who is having those... thoughts.” Eddie admits quietly.

“Hell yeah!” Richie presses a kiss to his husband’s cheek before their kids groan at them again along with the other Losers’

“Why are you like this?” Is all Stanley can say as Ben helps Sabrina into the clubhouse.

“Careful of your leg.” He warns her as he sets her down carefully, being wary of her swollen knee.

“Thanks.” Sabrina winces as she limps towards Sara.

“Wanna try and see if we can get in there again, Eds my love?” Richie stays close to his husband, waggling his eyebrows at the shorter man.

“How the fuck is that going to work, sweetheart?” Eddie retorts.

“We don’t know until we try.” Richie points out.

“Okay, you two fitting into that hammock now is a scientific impossibility.” Stanley declares.

“Fuck you, Staniel, you don’t know that.”

“I mean...” Eddie starts.

“No, we’re gonna try it.” Richie grins as the other Losers’ sigh in exasperation.

“It won’t work. It barely worked for Sara and Sabrina last night when they tried to sit in it together.” Stan points out.

“Hey, we fucking made it into there, didn’t we?” Sara gives him a look.

“We did.” Sabrina agrees.

“And seeing as I’m still in quite a bit of pain and I’m guessing Sabrina is too, we’re gonna try that again.” Sara nods.

“I’m right with you.” Sabrina replies as Eddie and Richie give them a look.

“It was actually quite funny, they were arguing about it and none of us actually thought they’d make it into the hammock, but they did.” Georgie recalls.

“We used to think the same of Eddie and Richie when they used to sit in there together.” Beverly admits in a soft voice.

“I’m trying to picture you and papa in this thing and I just can’t.” Sara laughs as she and Sabrina move towards the hammock.

“Okay, how did we get in here last night?”

“With difficulty.” Sabrina reminds her.

“Yeah, I know it was with fucking difficulty, but we did it, alright and we’re gonna do it again. Didn’t I go in first?”

“No, I did, because of my leg.”

“No, I went in first because of your leg, cause you slid it in after I was settled down.” Sara remembers.

“I don’t think that’s how it went?”

“I think it did.”

“Look, we just gotta try this, we’ll get in there again.” Sabrina makes a move to lift her leg up to fit it into the hammock.

“Wait, I’ll get in first, fucking wait for me.” Sara sighs.

“No, we went in at the same time, we just kinda collapsed into it?”

“Did we?”

“It only happened last night, Sara!”

“A lot happened last night, man, for fucks sake!” Sara groans as she tries to shift her way into the hammock.

“Didn’t we try a different angle?”

“No, angling it didn’t work out.” Sabrina reminds her.

“Didn’t it? Ah fuck!”

“Just move to the side a little, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I don’t want to hurt you!” Sara cries as they both manage to slide their way into the hammock again.

“And we’re in.” Sabrina relaxes back against her segment of the hammock, stretching her injured leg out a little so it’s across Sara’s lap.

“See? We fucking got this down.” Sara smiles, the two completely unaware that Bill, Mike, Beverly, Ben, Stanley, Eddie and Richie are staring at them with wide else, whilst Georgie, Mia, Wanda, Alec and Stab are just shaking their heads.

“T.T.That’s...” Bill starts, unsure of what to say.

“You’re gonna have to teach me and Eds how to do that for when it’s our turn, hun.” Richie smiles at his daughter somewhat through almost gritted teeth, whilst Eddie appears frozen in shock.

What his fifteen year old daughter just did with her new friend scarily reminding him of certain memory...

Beverly and Mike just laugh whilst Stanley places a hand on Richie’s shoulder.

“That hammock is so dangerous.” Stan sighs as Eddie crosses the room, bending down beside the wooden planks so that he can retrieve the ball he was once too reluctant to take back.

Sure, he’s immediately conscious of the fact that he’s got to wash his hands right now.

That he could’ve gotten anything from picking that small ball up and that he’s going to have to douse his hands in hand sanitiser, but at the same time it also doesn’t bother him.

Having two kids and a Richie has kinda forced him to adjust to mess and uncleanliness.

His attitude towards mess and disease is still the same as it’s always been, but spending twenty seven years with Richie and nearly sixteen of them with his kids, it’s definitely helped make him a little calmer towards such matters and for that he’s very grateful.

Lifting the ball up and blowing on it to remove the dust, he holds it out to his friend.

“Something for you, Stanley.”

“Thanks?” Stanley frowns a little, but smiles regardless, especially when the other Losers’ begin to grin too.

Each one of them beginning to move around, finding various objects that remind them of the past.

Showing their kids various momentum’s they had.

Eddie shows Stan the stack of comics left piled up in the corner of the room that he Richie used to read together.

Beverly happily shows Wanda some posters Ben put up and Bill and Mike start to tell Georgie and Mia about all the good times they’re beginning to remember that they had in the clubhouse.

“Hey, Losers.” Every single person in the Clubhouse immediately turns around in the direction of the sound.

A voice.

A voice that sounds a lot like...

“Time to float!” The voice of Pennywise sounds out throughout the Clubhouse.

Sabrina and Sara nearly fall out of the hammock, Mike grabs Richie’s old bat and Ben actually falls over whilst the others all begin to look around for something to arm themselves with, whilst staring into the darkness, waiting for the attack.

“Hahaha!” Richie cackles as he appears instead of Pennywise, revealing that it had been him who had been impersonating the clown, in very poor taste.

“SERIOUSLY?!” Stan shrieks.

“FUCKING IDIOT!” Stanley yells at the same time whilst Sara shakes her head.

“Fuck you, dad, fuck you.” She isn’t amused.

“Fuck, Richie...” Bill murmurs as he hits his head on part of the roof.

“RICHARD!” Eddie snaps.

“Remember when he used to say that? And he’d do that little dance?” Richie continues to mock the clown by doing the dance.

“That’s not cool, dad. Not fucking cool.” Sara breathes slowly as the others look furious.

“Am I the only one who remembers this shit?” He eyes an annoyed Stanley, Bill, Mike, Ben, Beverly and Eddie.

“Are you gonna be like this the entire time we’re home?” Eddie gives him a pointed look.

“Alright, just trying to add some levity to this shit, sorry guys.” Richie shrugs, realising that he might have gone too far, especially due to the fact that not even Sara is laughing.

“I’ll go fuck myself.”

Richie moves to take a step forward, whistling as he does.

“Smells so fucking terrible in here.” Eddie comments, trying to ignore Richie’s annoying whistling.

Taking a hold of one of the wooden pillars, Richie peers around it, but before he can take another step, he is immediately dragged back by an unseen force.

A large hand appearing out of nowhere gripping his throat.

Claws cutting into the skin of his throat as a hand begins to strangle him, pretty much cutting off his ability to cry out and his air supply.

“Hey, Losers.”

“For f.f.fucks sake, R...” Bill whirls around to give the aggravating Trashmouth a piece of his mind.

“DAD!” Stan screams when he realises what’s actually going on.

“Oh my god!” Eddie practically falls over.

“Time to float!” Pennywise cackles.

“RICHIE!”

“DAD!”

“RICHIE!” The Losers’ and the teens can’t do anything but scream his name as Pennywise drags Richie off into a dense abyss...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry that it’s taken awhile for an update, I’ve started work on the next chapter so it should be out hopefully soon. Thank you all so much for reading & the support you guys have all shown this story. Please do comment & tell me all your thoughts if you can.


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